A good mouthwash is part of above average hygiene. Mouthwash is not an alternative to brushing and flossing. It is a supplement that helps clean your mouth and gets rid of food particles. Now that you know what mouthwash is and what it is not, you can focus on buying a brand of wash that is most suited to your needs.
Benefits
Some people do not use mouthwash. It’s not as necessary as brushing and flossing, yet there are many benefits. Good dental health can be achieved by diligent brushing and flossing. However, rinses and mouthwashes further help. Mouthwash freshens breath, prevents plaque, removes food particles, and helps reduce the number of cavities.
Types
Visiting the dental hygiene aisle at the market elicits a number of choices. Understand the difference between offered products. Mouthwashes usually contain ingredients that freshen breath and help fight cavities, but do not contain fluoride unless indicated on the bottle. A fluoride rinse protects your mouth from bacteria produced by plaque. However, as with mouthwash, a rinse is not a substitute for brushing and flossing. Those with gingivitis may be prescribed a special rinse that contains chlorhexidine gluconate.
Subtleties
Aside from a number of leading brands, individual manufacturers produce varieties of mouthwash. Some brands use alcohol as an ingredient, which features an acidic taste. While the ingredient helps cleanse the mouth, you may prefer to avoid alcohol for one or more reasons. Those with sensitive teeth and gums, or who are recovering from a minor or major dental procedure, may want to avoid brands that use alcohol.
Assumptions
Several years ago, the FDA warned a number of manufacturers about using misleading or false claims regarding mouthwash. For example, sodium fluoride helps fight cavities but it does not remove plaque or fight gum disease. Those who do not do a good job of brushing and flossing may want to supplement their routine with an antiplaque and antigingivitis mouthwash. However, be sure to read the ingredients on the bottle.
Fluoride
Fluoride is a chemical found in foods and water. a person’s tooth enamel goes through demineralization when coming in contact with food and beverage acids. Fluoride helps rebuild and strengthen enamel. Fluoride, along with calcium and phosphate, inspires remineralization. If enamel is broken down without being repleted, the imbalance leads to tooth decay.
Fluoride is found in some toothpastes and mouth rinses. Over-the-counter rinses contain a low amount of fluoride. You need a dentist’s prescription to attain rinses with a higher concentration of fluoride. If you are having issues with your teeth, read about emergency dental care in NYC.
Who Needs Fluoride?
All people can benefit from fluoride but especially young children between the ages of 6 and 16. Moreover, those with gum disease and have exposed portions of teeth or roots, are more likely to attract tooth decay. Also, those who get a lot of cavities (one per year) can benefit from added fluoride. Lastly, those who have crowns, bridges, or braces are at a higher risk of tooth decay. Therefore, it’s a good idea to supplement brushing and flossing with a fluoride rinse.
Bio: Justin Green recently underwent teeth whitening and some dental procedures to give him a better smile for his wedding day photos. He’s now looking to keep his smile looking great and shares his tips with others online.
I know that some mouthwashes are different than others. Some are better for fighting cavities, although most do have fluoride and do fight bad breath.
I am one of those people who has to use mouthwash every morning or my mouth just does not feel clean. .My dental hygienist insists all her patients use it so I know it is good for my health.
I am one who does like the mint flavored floss and I have to floss every day to get little seeds, etc out! I love trying new dental products since they seem to come out with great ones all the time. Please don’t flavor my toothpaste odd flavors like cinnamon or bubblegum though! I do have my limits.
Ok, here’s my mouthwash (and tooth paste) grumble; what exactly is ‘mint’? Peppermint I adore, and it make s everything fresh. Spearmint I’m borderline allergic to, even the scent makes me gag. Apparently though this is a minority sensitivity I am am not alone in this. Yet companies don’t say which mint it is. Makes me so annoyed.
Thanks for the very good information about Mouthwash. Some mouthwashes taste so horrible that I can not use them. I have tried a lot of them and like Listerine the best. It really keeps my teeth so clean!