Who doesn’t like that minty taste of mouthwash products! Many people keep a bottle of mouthwash on hand to freshen up at a moment’s notice. Did you know that mouthwash does much more than just give you fresh breath?

This liquid contains assorted ingredients, each having a role it takes in your mouth as you rinse and spit. As such, there are pros and cons associated with mouthwash, and here we offer information to help you not only evaluate the use of this product, but to understand it better too. After all, the reason you have come to Daily Rosen Dentistry is ensure that your oral health remains intact, if not better, right?

One of the main rewards linked with the use of mouth wash is to assist in eliminating cavities. Mouthwash removes plaque and food crumbs that stick to your teeth. This helps to prevent tooth decay and can strengthen the enamel on your teeth. The dental staff here Daily Rosen Dentistry wants to remind you that mouthwash does not replace your toothbrush and toothpaste! However, it can reach parts of your mouth that you miss with your toothbrush and toothpaste and takes only a minute to use.

Mouthwash also helps fight gum disease such as gingivitis. By rinsing with a mouth wash, you get rid of the bacteria left behind by food and drinks, which can accumulate on the gums and tooth sockets causing them to become inflamed or infected. This constitutes where the antibacterial mouthwash products with alcohol or chlorhexidine are effective in preventing periodontal diseases. During your regular visits here at Daily Rosen Dentistry, we may recommend mouthwash to prevent and soothe canker sores as it detoxifies the area and reduces the bacteria in your mouth.

Two different types of mouthwashes are on the market, each having its own way of providing the results you are looking for. There are patients that we may prescribe additional fluoride treatment here in our office. There are also fluoride mouthwashes that we sometimes recommend to strengthen your teeth with additional fluoride. You may be required to use the mouthwash at a different time than that of brushing you will get extra fluoride during the day.

There is also the antiseptic mouthwashes used mainly by people who suffer from bad breath, gum disease or infection of the mouth. If you have had a tooth extracted, we may instruct to use antiseptic mouthwashes for a short period of time afterwards. These mouthwashes normally contain chlorhexidine which prevents the growth of bacteria.

A third mouthwash is available also, a total care mouthwash. This is useful for controlling tooth decay as well as freshening of your breath.

While mouthwash has positives, it also comes with some negatives that require caution when using. Most mouthwashes will mask bad breath while others just aggravate it, making it worse. Such as mouthwash that is alcohol based will only mask bad breath for a short time. Alcohol based mouthwash also causes dry mouth which in turn breeds the bacteria that causes halitosis, otherwise known as bad breath.

Generally, the people who use most often used mouthwash are those who drink and smoke. Studies have shown that of those people who drink and smoke and use an alcohol based mouthwash have a higher increase in oral cancer. This increase takes place in mouthwashes with the ingredient of ethanol. Ethanol in mouthwash helps nicotine and other substances penetrate the lining of the mouth. It also can bring about cetaldehyde, also known as human carcinogen. There have been studies that indicated mouthwash products can irritate canker sores because of the high alcohol content.

Mouthwashes have been around long before Daily Rosen Dentistry, it has been around since the Egyptians who began using mouthwashes to preserve good oral hygiene. The manufacturers of mouthwash typically will state the quantity, frequency and duration of usage of their mouthwash on their labels. It is recommended that you follow these instructions unless we give you other instructions. As always, if you are not sure about its safety, give us a call here at Berkley Dental Group.