Garlic extract rivals traditional mouthwash for dental hygiene in surprising new review
A new review from the University of Sharjah suggests that mouthwash made with garlic extract may fight germs as effectively as chlorhexidine, a widely used antiseptic in dental care.
Chlorhexidine, a common ingredient in mouthwash, is often considered the gold standard for reducing bacteria, but it can come with its own drawbacks. The researchers wanted to see whether garlic, long known for antimicrobial properties, could offer a natural alternative.
“Chlorhexidine … is associated with side effects and concerns over antimicrobial resistance,” the authors explained in a press release.
“Garlic, known for natural antimicrobial properties, has emerged as a potential alternative,” the review notes.
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To explore this, the team searched six scientific databases. They began with 389 studies, but after applying strict criteria, only five clinical trials qualified for inclusion in their reviews.
These studies compared garlic extract mouthwash with chlorhexidine, and the authors used a standardized framework to structure their questions and measures.
The results suggested that higher-concentration garlic mouthwash showed antimicrobial effects similar to those of chlorhexidine.
The review explains that the “effectiveness varied based on mouthwash concentration and duration of application, contributing to differences in outcomes.”
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“Some studies favored chlorhexidine for maintaining higher plaque/salivary pH,” it continued, “while others reported garlic extract to be more effective at certain concentrations.”
Overall, the evidence points to garlic having meaningful antimicrobial activity in the mouth.
“However, garlic mouthwash may cause greater discomfort,” the review notes.
Garlic mouthwash was linked to a burning sensation and an unpleasant flavor, which could affect how willing people are to use it regularly.
Notably, only a few clinical trials were available, despite a large initial pool of research.
Additionally, the studies that met the criteria used different garlic concentrations, different dosing schedules, and different measures of success, which made direct comparisons difficult.
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Much of the broader research on garlic extract remains laboratory-based rather than clinical, so there is still limited evidence from real-world use in humans.
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Because of these constraints, the authors emphasize that larger, carefully designed clinical trials are needed before garlic extract mouthwash can be considered a reliable alternative to chlorhexidine.
Longer study periods would also help determine whether the early signs of effectiveness hold up over time.
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The findings were published in the Journal of Herbal Medicine.
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