Mouthwash and the Oral Microbiome: The GAPS View

The GAPS dental chapter argues that a healthy mouth needs a balanced microbial community, rather than a routine aimed at eliminating all microbes. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride applies that argument to antimicrobial mouth rinses and commercial toothpaste and offers a different daily brushing approach.^[1]

The Oral-Ecology Argument

Campbell-McBride describes mouth microbes as normal and important to oral health. She criticizes the idea that killing them should be the main goal of mouth care and argues that antimicrobial products damage their balance while adding chemical exposures. Her nutrition argument puts the materials used to build and maintain teeth alongside that microbial community.^[1]

This does not mean that every microbe is harmless or that a painful tooth can be understood by counting bacteria alone. The chapter’s emphasis is the condition of the whole oral environment: saliva, the tooth surface, food and the community living there.

What the Cited Mouthwash Study Found

The book cites Joshipura and colleagues’ 2017 study of mouthwash use and prediabetes or diabetes. Among 945 adults with complete follow-up data, those reporting use at least twice daily had a higher rate of developing those outcomes over three years. The study followed an overweight or obese population aged 40–65.^[2]

It was an observational association. It did not test every toothpaste or show that a particular person’s mouthwash caused diabetes. The study is relevant to the chapter’s interest in oral microbes and the wider body, while its actual design keeps the research claim specific.^[2]

The Pellicle Connects the Surface and the Microbes

The pellicle is the coating formed on teeth from saliva. The book describes microbes living on it and contributing to a biofilm. The pellicle and oil-brushing guide explains that layer and the natural-fat brushing method without repeating the whole method here.^[1]

The food side remains important in the GAPS account. Campbell-McBride emphasizes animal protein, fat and fat-soluble vitamins for the tissues and saliva involved in dental health. The collagen food guide and Weston A. Price guide cover those parts of the chapter.^[1]

The FAQ About Black or Gray Staining

A reader described recurring dark discoloration that a hygienist had to remove. In her answer, Campbell-McBride proposed a pigment-producing microbial overgrowth, likely yeast. She suggested replacing toothpaste with olive oil and bicarbonate of soda.^[3]

Her method uses two separate dishes, one for oil and one for bicarbonate of soda. She describes dipping the brush in oil, then soda, brushing and rinsing, followed by another brushing with a clean wet brush and another rinse. The answer describes the soda as antifungal and the oil as soothing the gums and moderating abrasion. Those are her explanation and instructions for that reported staining problem.^[3]

A dark mark does not identify a yeast species or show that an antimicrobial rinse caused it. If staining keeps returning, describe where it appears and what has already been examined or removed. That preserves the specific nature of the FAQ instead of turning every discoloration into the same diagnosis.

A Routine You Can Discuss Clearly

Take the actual products you use, or their ingredient labels, to a dental conversation. Note which are daily habits and which were recommended for a specific treatment. Then ask how the plan addresses your tooth surfaces, gum health and the problem being treated. You can follow the GAPS discussion more easily when those details are separate.

The fluoride guide addresses fluoride specifically. The gum guide addresses collagen-containing support around a tooth. The dental overview brings those subjects together.

Questions About Mouthwash

Does GAPS Aim for a Microbe-Free Mouth?

No. The chapter says mouth microbes are part of normal ecology and argues for balance.^[1]

Does the 2017 Study Prove Every Antimicrobial Product Is Harmful?

No. Its reported exposure was mouthwash use and its measured outcomes were prediabetes and diabetes in a particular adult population. It was not a trial of all dental products.^[2]

Your Next Step

Start with one clear question about your current mouth-care routine. Keep the GAPS recommendation, the research result and the reason a dentist recommended a particular product distinct in that discussion. My GAPS Lifestyle course is listed in the WFLI Shop.

References

1. Campbell-McBride, N. Gut and Physiology Syndrome (2020), “Our Teeth and Bones,” pp. 106–117.
2. Joshipura, K. J., Muñoz-Torres, F. J., Morou-Bermudez, E., and Patel, R. P. (2017). Over-the-counter mouthwash use and risk of pre-diabetes/diabetes. Nitric Oxide, 71, 14–20. doi:10.1016/j.niox.2017.09.004.
3. Campbell-McBride, N. Official GAPS FAQs, “Teeth,” question 11.