In the oral care sector of the present day, natural herbal ingredients are gradually replacing traditional chemical components with their high effectiveness, low toxicity, and mildness, becoming a hot favorite among consumers. Natural ingredients find wide application not only in toothpaste and mouthwash but also in the production of oral health foods such as chewing gum and lozenges.
Common Natural Herbal Antibacterial Ingredients
1. Magnolia Extract
Magnolia extract consists predominantly of magnolol and honokiol, which possess broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. They inhibit significant oral pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, Lactobacillus, sticky actinomycetes, and Actinomyces species significantly. Significant benefits are:
- Antibacterial and Inhibitory Effects: Strongly inhibits a number of oral pathogens.
- Improves Bad Breath: Prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria, thereby improving breath.
- Freshens Breath: Produces a long-lasting fresh feeling, inducing oral hygiene.
2. Sea Buckthorn Oil
Sea buckthorn oil includes plant Omega-3, 6, 7, and 9 fatty acids, sea buckthorn flavonoids, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids and has several benefits:
- Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm: Stops the formation of biofilms and periodontal disease.
- Anti-Inflammatory and Hemostatic: Potentially inhibits oral inflammation and causes gum hemostasis.
- Oral Healing: Facilitates gingival fibroblast migration and enhances oral wound healing.
3. Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract
The primary active constituents of polygonum cuspidatum extracts are the rutin and long-stalked wintergreen glycosides, which are extracted from Wintergreen family plants.
Benefits are:
- Inhibition of Pathogenic Bacteria: Potent inhibition of bacteria like Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli.
- Prevention of Dental Plaque: Prevents plaque formation and minimizes gingivitis risk.
- Facilitates Ulcer Healing: Increases healing of recurring oral ulcers.
4. Rosemary
It contains primarily rosemary essential oil and rosemary extract:
- Antibacterial and Antioxidant: Rosemary essential oil contains antibacterial constituents, while the extract contains antioxidant activity.
- Inhibits Streptococcus mutans: Strongly inhibits Streptococcus mutans.
- Freshens Breath: Its characteristic aroma has a reducing action on bad breath, providing a lingering fresh feel.
5. Ginger Extract
Center to ginger extract lies its active strong ingredient, gingerol, which is renowned for its extreme antibacterial and antifungal nature. The active ingredient has a specific action against anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria – periodontal disease’s primary perpetrators. As per research, gingerol inhibits offending bacterial species like Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Prevotella intermedia in effective manners, and thereby is a very helpful ally to oral health support.
6. Cinnamon Essential Oil
The therapeutic action of cinnamon oil is attributed primarily to cinnamaldehyde, which constitutes an impressive 65%-90% of the oil. Cinnamaldehyde expresses twofold protective action in oral health. Firstly, it effectively disrupts biofilm formation, thereby preventing dental plaque formation. Secondly, in vitro reports demonstrate its highly potent antibacterial action, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging as low as 6.25 μg/ml and 2.5 μg/ml against common oral pathogens, which speaks to its effectiveness as an antimicrobial.
Applications of Herbal Ingredients in Oral Care Products
Natural herbal ingredients are not only common in toothpaste and mouthwash but also in oral health foods such as chewing gum and lozenges. They are not only beneficial to oral health but also possess advantages such as being natural, healthy, and beneficial to the body as a whole, thereby contributing to consumer experience.
With increasing consumer interest in health and environmental sustainability, natural herbal antibacterial ingredients are now being applied beyond oral care to health and personal care products, including:
- No-Rinse Hand Sanitizers and Hand Gels: Utilizing natural antibacterial ingredients like rosemary essential oil and tea tree oil for sanitization.
- Antibacterial Spray Sanitizers and Wipes: Using natural ingredients like honeysuckle extract and lavender extract for hygiene with the minimum chemical residue.
- Cleaning Soaps and Air Purifying Aromas: Using herbal fragrances like rosemary and mint for strong antibacterial action and freshness.
- Long Lasting Antibacterial Body Washes and Facial Cleansers: Using natural antibacterial materials like Coptis extract and mugwort extract to protect against skin health damage effectively and efficiently.