No Fluo is an alcohol free mouthwash that is also free from fluoride. It is made with spring water and four essential oils, peppermint, tea tree, spearmint and lemon, together with calcium carbonate powder, concentrated trace minerals and stevia. It is designed to freshen your breath and leave your mouth feeling clean, without the sting that many people notice from mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
Why people choose an alcohol free mouthwash
Comfort is the most common reason. A paper in the British Dental Journal, reported in 2010, listed a burning sensation, a dry feeling in the mouth and mouth pain among the downsides some people experience with alcohol based rinses. If you have ever had to spit out a mouthwash early because it stung, an alcohol free one is likely to feel very different.
A dry mouth is another reason. The NHS advice for people with a dry mouth is to brush twice a day and to use an alcohol free mouthwash, because a dry mouth makes tooth decay more likely. Taste matters too: in a 2024 review of studies comparing essential oil mouthwashes with and without alcohol, people preferred the taste of the alcohol free versions.
To be fair about it, that same review found that the alcohol free essential oil rinses gave slightly less plaque reduction than the versions with alcohol, while results for gum bleeding were similar. The authors still felt alcohol free rinses were a reasonable choice, because people are more likely to keep using a mouthwash they find pleasant.
Does alcohol in mouthwash cause cancer?
This question comes up a lot, so it is worth being accurate. Some researchers have raised concerns about mouthwash containing alcohol and cancers of the mouth and throat. Reviews of the evidence have not established that it is an independent cause, and Cancer Research UK has said there is no credible evidence of a link. Where some studies have found a possible association, it has mostly been in people who also smoke or drink alcohol. Choosing an alcohol free mouthwash is a matter of comfort and preference rather than a way to avoid a proven risk.
What is in No Fluo
- Spring water
- Peppermint essential oil
- Tea tree essential oil
- Spearmint essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Calcium carbonate powder
- Concentrated trace minerals
- Pure stevia
There is no alcohol and no fluoride in it. The mint and lemon oils give it a fresh taste, and stevia adds a little sweetness without sugar.
Safety: do not swallow. No Fluo contains tea tree oil, which is harmful if swallowed. Rinse and spit it out, and keep the bottle out of reach of children.
How to use an alcohol free mouthwash
The NHS suggests using mouthwash at a different time from brushing your teeth, for example after lunch, rather than straight after you brush. That way you do not rinse away the fluoride left on your teeth by your toothpaste. Swish the mouthwash around your mouth and then spit it out, following the directions on the bottle.
Do not swallow No Fluo. It contains tea tree oil, which is harmful if swallowed, so keep the bottle out of reach of children. A mouthwash is an extra step in your routine rather than a replacement for brushing: the NHS recommends brushing twice a day, including last thing at night, and cleaning between your teeth.
Alcohol free and fluoride free
Most alcohol free mouthwashes on supermarket shelves still contain fluoride. No Fluo is for people who would rather have a mouthwash with neither, and who want to choose separately how they get fluoride, for example from their toothpaste.
Frequently asked questions
Is alcohol free mouthwash better?
It depends what you want from it. Alcohol free mouthwash is usually gentler, and the NHS recommends it for people with a dry mouth. One 2024 review found that alcohol free essential oil rinses removed slightly less plaque than versions with alcohol, with similar results for gums, so neither is better in every way.
Does No Fluo contain fluoride?
No. No Fluo contains no fluoride and no alcohol.
When should I use mouthwash?
The NHS suggests using it at a different time from brushing, such as after lunch, so you do not rinse away the fluoride from your toothpaste.
Can I swallow it?
No. Always spit mouthwash out. No Fluo contains tea tree oil, which is harmful if swallowed, so keep it away from children.
Related pages
- Is alcohol free mouthwash better?
- Best alcohol free mouthwash in the UK
- Should you use mouthwash before or after brushing?
- Ingredients
- All guides
Sources for this page
- NHS: Dry mouth
- NHS: How to keep your teeth clean
- van Swaaij and others, International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2024, summarised by DrBicuspid
- Dentistry.co.uk, 2010, reporting a British Dental Journal paper on alcohol free rinses
- Ustrell-Borràs and others, systematic review of alcohol based mouthwash and oral cancer, 2020
- Cancer Research UK: Does mouthwash cause cancer? (reviewed 2020)
- NCCIH: Tea tree oil