Mouthwash is not a substitute for flossing or brushing.
While the main goal of toothpaste and mouthwash is to maintain oral hygiene, they perform different functions.
Toothpaste is specifically for removing food particles and surface stains from the teeth while brushing. This is completely different from the purpose and use of mouthwash.
Mouthwash, on the other hand, helps to kill germs in the mouth and refresh your breath. Though it can’t flush out food debris that is deeply stuck or remove strict plaque on the teeth, it is an interesting habit to cultivate.
You can include it in your daily routine for caring for your teeth in addition to brushing and flossing.
Let’s learn more about mouthwash and how you can use it to up your oral hygiene.
Understanding the Concept of Mouthwash
Mouthwash is another popular oral product used to enhance hygiene. Making its usage a habit is the cherry on top of your daily dental routine.
It has quite a number of benefits ranging from fighting gum disease to preventing bad breath. However, let’s start with the different types.
Types of Mouthwash
Based on functionality, mouthwash can be divided into two main categories, they are as follows:
Cosmetic Mouthwash
This type does not offer any major health benefits. It is just used to freshen the breath frequently. Therefore, it usually contains flavouring agents and fragrances.
While it is a good thing to have in your purse, it is not the best type to purchase for a serious treatment scenario.
This is because it just offers temporary relief from bad breath and has to be used multiple times a day for effectiveness. Also, it does not treat the underlying cause of bad bread.
Therapeutic Mouthwash
As the name suggests, this type is different from the former. In that, it includes active ingredients that are designed to address particular oral health issues.
The following are some of the types that you can find depending on what you intend to treat.
- Fluoride: This strengthens the enamel and helps to prevent tooth decay.
- Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC): It helps to lessen gingivitis and plaque.
- Peroxide: This reduces stains and whitens the teeth.
- Xylitol: It is a natural sweetener with antibacterial properties that help to prevent dry mouth and reduce bacteria.
- Chlorhexidine: It lessens the presence of bacteria in the mouth and helps to treat periodontitis and gingivitis.
Benefits of Mouthwash
Besides the popular knowledge that it helps to freshen the breath, there are other benefits that you can look forward to. Here are some of them.
- Helps to enhance confidence, especially in social settings.
- Freshens the breath by neutralising odours caused by bacteria like volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs).
- Its antibacterial agents help to lessen plaque on the teeth.
- It lowers the risk of gum inflammation.
- Prevents tooth decay for people with a high risk of cavities like those who have dry mouth or use braces.
- Assists in managing gum disease by reducing the amount of bacteria that causes periodontal disease.
- It helps to soothe irritations like mouth sores for people with oral mucositis from chemotherapy, canker sores, and other oral irritations.
Have these benefits listed above intrigue you? Do they convince you to begin cultivating the habit?
Correct Usage of Mouthwash
To get the desired result, it is important to use it in a certain way. You can include it in your morning routine as a final and additional step for freshening your breath.
Use at night to protect your teeth overnight. Also, use after meals to rinse and remove food particles and reduce acid attacks on your enamel.
Proper usage also helps to maximize the advantages that it has to offer.
- Follow the recommended dosage by adhering to the instructions on the label or those provided by your healthcare practitioner.
- Swish for about 30 seconds to a minute before disposing.
- Don’t make an habit of swallowing because it contains active ingredients that shouldn’t be ingested.
- It should be used after brushing and flossing.
- Timing is also important as some are best used before bedtime to provide longer effectiveness while sleeping.
- Don’t eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes after usage to let the active ingredients work well.
It is important to follow all of these instructions. This is because while mouthwash can be beneficial, it also has certain side effects like dry mouth, sensitivity, staining, etc.
Therefore, be sure to take extra precautions when using it. For instance, children should be strictly monitored to ensure proper usage. Also, medical conditions like pregnancy and others should be highly considered before getting one. In this case, you need to consult your medical practitioner for enlightenment and recommendations.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, mouthwash is a valuable addition that should be included in your oral hygiene. This is majorly because of the numerous benefits that it offers. Fresh breath, tooth decay prevention, and gum management, are just a few. Also, ensure that you get correct usage recommendations from your dentist, pharmacists, or any other health practitioner that you’re seeing. This way, you can prevent major flops and safely use it to achieve the desired result.
Read here: Oral Hygiene: Effective Ways To Protect Your Teeth
