Mouthwash is also called mouth rinse or an oral rinse and is a liquid product that you use to rinse your mouth, swishing it around your teeth and gums. People use mouthwash for a variety of reasons. Some use it because they have bad breath and want to mask the odour, while others use it in the hope of improving oral health. It’s important to note that using mouthwash isn’t a substitute for brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing every day. There are many different types of mouthwash available, each of which has different ingredients and is designed to do different things. Some are meant to provide merely cosmetic effects, while others may contain more beneficial ingredients.
Using Mouthwash Correctly
Whichever brand you choose, it’s important to make sure you use mouthwash correctly, following the instructions on the label. Before using mouthwash, brush your teeth thoroughly, and if you use fluoridated toothpaste, it’s worth waiting a while before using the mouth rinse. This is because you shouldn’t rinse your mouth after using fluoride toothpaste as a thin layer of fluoride remains coating your teeth, helping to protect them for a while afterwards and using mouthwash too soon can wash away the toothpaste.
When using the mouthwash, measure it out correctly, using no more than the recommended amount. Usually, this is between three and five teaspoons. Next, tip the mouthwash into your mouth and start to swish it around vigorously, being sure not to swallow it. Rinse it around for the recommended length of time, which is around thirty seconds to a minute. Afterwards, spit out all the mouthwash into the sink and rinse it away.
When to Use Mouthwash?
If you have reasonable dental health and see a dentist in Bowmanville regularly for checkups and hygiene appointments, you probably don’t need to use a mouth rinse but may feel it is a nice add-on to your daily routine. Some mouth rinses do not contain any particularly useful ingredients and are just meant to freshen breath. If you use these to freshen your breath after eating onions, garlic, or other smelly foods, be aware that the effect on your breath will only be temporary. You need to wait until the food has passed through your body before the problem is solved.
Other mouthwash does contain beneficial ingredients, including antimicrobials to help fight harmful bacteria in your mouth or fluoride to help strengthen teeth in Clarington. While fluoride in mouthwash is useful, it is considerably lower strength than the products we use here in West Bowmanville Family Dental, so the impact on oral health is fairly limited.
You can also purchase mouthwash that promises to help whiten teeth and which can contain bleaching agents. However, again, these products are relatively mild, and because the mouthwash is only in contact with your teeth for a short while, it will not brighten them significantly. If you are looking for something stronger, please ask us about professional teeth whitening in Courtice for the best and safest results.
Sometimes we might suggest using a mouth rinse to help improve or protect oral health. For example, some mouthwashes contain antimicrobial ingredients to help fight dental problems such as mild gum disease, called gingivitis. Sometimes mouthwash can be helpful after oral surgery, and where it might be trickier to brush your mouth thoroughly while it heals initially. When this is the case, our dentist in Newcastle can suggest the most appropriate mouthwash to use. In addition, we can discuss how best to use it and how long you may benefit from using mouthwash.
When choosing any mouthwash, look for an alcohol-free brand and ensure it is stored out of reach if you have children. Young children should not use mouthwash as they could swallow it.
