Holistic dental health: Natural oral care

Oral diseases are among the major public health problems. The application of natural products for the control of oral diseases is considered as an interesting alternative to synthetic antimicrobials due to their lower negative impact. Natural means safe, and as consumers prioritize safe ingredients, holistic dental health is piquing their interest.

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not just the absence of disease. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the harmony between our mind, body, and soul. There is a saying that your body hears what your mind says, and that’s exactly where holistic dentistry starts. New wellness trends with effective oral care are exactly what the future generations are looking for.

Increased interest in holistic dental health

Interest in natural products has grown in recently, mostly because of their safe characteristics. Oral hygiene was traditionally viewed as a function-first category, but now oral care products are being perceived positively. The naturally occurring active ingredients in plant medicine restore health with minimal harmful effects and maximum efficiency. Herbal products have the dual advantage of minimal side effects and being alcohol and/or sugar-free, which are the two most common ingredients found in conventional medicines.

New wellness trends, such as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with traditional remedies and formulas, have proved to be a good solution for dental issues, but TCM toothpastes should stick to natural ingredients. TCM formulas and rare ingredients could also be used to prove a product’s effectiveness.

Moreover, in the Internet era, young consumers are more inclined to research product benefits and efficacy claims by themselves. To engage younger demographic, brands can promote the use of familiar ingredients to promote consumer trust and usage. They can also utilize social media to connect with younger people.

The benefits of natural dental health care

Although oral care is traditionally viewed as a function-first category, there has been growing interest in natural dental products in recent years. Oral care specialists today try to implement safe and effective natural medicine therapies to complement their current practice (for example, coconut oil is being highly useful for cleaning and whitening of teeth). Oral care specialists appreciate the connection between what goes in the mouth and the state of internal health. Because of all that, products launched with a natural claim have grown steadily year-on-year over the last few years.

Statistics have shown that consumers are positive about the benefits of natural oral care. Many people in the past thought that it’s not as effective as regular products, but the perceptions of natural oral care are changing. Over 60% of consumers in China (61%) and the US (63%) are interested in trying natural oral care products or toothpaste made with natural ingredients. On the contrary, only 17% of consumers in Germany think that natural oral care products are not as effective as regular products (Source: Lightspeed/Mintel).

Promoting the effectiveness of natural oral care

Holistic dental health products were few and far between only just a few years ago. People have been using other traditional health remedies for centuries, but that wasn’t the case with mouth care. We all already know that natural means safe, but the greatest concern with oral hygiene is the question if it was efficient enough. And it is. Provital’s Antiseptic extract (Tea tree oil, Common holly, Salix alba, Pomegranate) controls and reduces bacterial plaque, gingivitis, and periodontal disease, for example, while REMINERALIZING & REINFORCING extract (Lithothamnium calcareum, algae extract, grape seed extract), with its high content in proanthocyanidins, improves dentine stability thanks to collagen cross-linking.

Brands are now working on emphasizing that natural products are as effective as regular formulas, so that there will no longer be a barrier to purchase them. They need to educate consumers on the health benefits of natural oral care and one way to achieve this is through the use of familiar ingredients/methods to safely and effectively manage oral hygiene.