Is mouthwash good for dental care?
You hear them constantly, the many promises that mouth wash manufacturers use in their TV ads and other information channels to advertise the benefits of their products. Some types of mouth wash combat plaque and even tooth decay while others prevent gum diseases and many different kinds of infections inside the oral cavity. The one quality that all of them seem to have in common is the supposedly lasting prevention of bad breath. Back when I was only 16 years old, that very last selling point really resonated with me and prompted me to start using mouth wash every day. After all, who wants to show up to a date with bad breath when a minty-fresh smell can earn you many more points with the person of your affection right off the bat. Over a decade and many used up bottles of mouth wash later, I started wondering whether the other advertised advantages of these products were true as well. To put this to the test, I did a couple of online searches and also asked my dentist for more information.What is mouthwash?
Prior to making a choice, patients first of all need to differentiate between two types of mouth wash – one that has purely cosmetic benefits (i.e., fresh breath) and another that also has antibacterial properties. The former type consist of a scented concentrate which the patient dilutes with water prior to using it to rinse out his or her mouth. The scented effect usually only lasts for a while and hence combats bad breath only temporarily. Mouth wash with real antibacterial properties destroys bacteria on the dental surface areas that could otherwise have resulted in serious tooth decay and/or gum inflammations. This property makes these products a great addition to patients’ regular dental care. Ideally, patients should use mouth wash after brushing their teeth to rinse for 20-30 seconds.In general, it is not advisable to start children on using mouth wash prior to their second dentition (12-13 years of age) and they should definitely not use these liquids until they can reliably spit them out (and not swallow) after a thorough rinse. Also, some kinds of mouth wash contain alcohol which is neither appropriate for children, nor for adults who have had to grapple with alcohol issues in the past.
Can mouthwash replace brushing ones teeth?
In short: No.To ensure successful oral hygiene, a patient has to brush his or her teeth with a good toothbrush at least twice a day and also use dental floss to clean out the spaces in between the teeth. As long as one follows this golden rule, regular use of a mouth wash is not really required. As in most other cases in life, there are exceptions to this as well: For patients who wear fixed braces or who cannot adequately use a tooth brush and/or dental floss due to an injury, the use of mouth wash with antibacterial properties is definitely recommended.
Is mouthwash with fluoride content better?
According to several long-term studies, fluoride is useful for the prevention of tooth decay. Nevertheless, there are grounds for caution as excessively high doses of fluoride can have toxic effects. In the case of mouth wash, however, there is no reason to worry because the fluoride contents are carefully dosed at acceptable levels and patients who rinse with these liquids spit them out afterwards instead of consuming them.How much does mouthwash cost?
Nowadays, even some of the best mouth wash options are available at fairly reasonable prices and should be affordable to almost anyone who is interested in giving them a try. The most popular types of mouth wash are also freely available in virtually any drug store:- Example 1: Options available at prices between EUR 1.25 and EUR 11
- Example 2: Options available at prices between EUR 0.85 and EUR 20
Happy mouth wash hunting!
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