EVEN THE MOST DILIGENT FLOSSERS AND BRUSHERS sometimes forget about the added benefits of mouthwash.
But don’t worry—even if you already brush, floss, AND rinse with mouthwash everyday, you’ll find this content useful. The affect that mouthwash has on your oral health is often dependent upon the type of mouthwash you use. So, before we get into the do’s and don’ts of choosing a mouthwash, let’s talk a little bit about why we recommend it. Not only can mouthwashes make our mouths feel and smell fresher, they help prevent cavities and periodontal disease. They do this by reducing the amount of biofilm, plaque and bacteria in our mouths, particular those stuck to our soft tissues (tongue, cheeks, gums, and in between our teeth). However, don’t let these facts fool you into depending on mouthwash alone! Brushing and flossing are still essential to our oral health as rinses cannot adequately remove food and plaque on their own—they simply help prevent plaque. Now, what’s the key difference between all the varieties of mouthwashes? Frankly, some help more than others, and some may even contain ingredients that should probably be avoided. For example, fluoride helps prevents cavities, but sodium lauryl sulfate (another term for ‘soap’) tends to dry and irritate mouths, especially if you suffer from canker sores. Our favourite products are Listerine because it’s Essential Oils and Phenols are truly antibacterial, but the alcohol can be drying. We also carry in our office an Herbal product called “Tooth and Gum Tonic” that works well, but is about $40 per bottle. BreathRx is also a great product that we carry that you cannot buy in stores. Over the counter products, other than Listerine, that we really like are new oral rinses by Crest, Colgate and Oral B. For brand names, just send us an email through our contact page. Be careful when choosing your mouthwash, and feel free to ask Dr. Larry for a recommendation that will suit your specific dental needs!
Here’s a little cheat sheet of ingredients to look for that should help you in the meantime.
If you have any additional questions regarding mouthwashes or dentistry in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
