Mouth Wash helps you to rinse your teeth with active ingredients. Various types of mouthwash cater to different needs.
For instance, it can be beneficial in controlling bad breath, reducing bacteria accumulation and whitening.
While it may not be a mandatory oral hygiene tool, it is important to keep your teeth and oral health in good condition.
This article discusses the types of mouth wash and how they help to improve your oral health. Keep reading below to know more.
What is a Mouth Wash?
A mouthwash is an oral rinse that cleanses off your teeth, gums and mouth, however, it is not a new thing.
In fact, mouthwashes of different ingredients have been in use since pre-Coloumbian civilizations.
Now, it contains diluted ingredients that reach the parts of your mouth where it is harder for a toothbrush or floss to reach.
It usually contains an antiseptic that can destroy the bacteria that live on your tongue and in between teeth.
This is why it can control oral bacteria and prevent dental health diseases like tooth decay.
That said, it does not replace toothbrushing and flossing, rather it can be an additional step which further improves oral health.
While a mouthwash can control several diseases, not all are made for this purpose.
Is a mouth wash and a mouth rinse the same thing?
While the two are often confused to be the same, a mouthwash and a mouthrinse are two different products.
The main difference is that of the alcohol content.
A mouthwash contains about 20 percent of alcohol whereas a mouth rinse has no alcohol content.
Another product alongside that is the elixir.
That contains 50 percent of alcohol.
It needs to be diluted in water to use it.
Hence, they are all different but it can provide benefits for your mouth.
Active Ingredients Present
Given the purpose of the mouthwash, its active ingredients work to improve your oral health.
The active ingredinets have curative and preventive effect.
For preventing periodontitis, your dentist may recommend a mouthwash with:
- Chlorhexidine
- Thymol
- Quaternary ammonium derivatives
- Eucalyptol
- Hexetidine
- Triclosan
- Sanguinarine
For treating and controlling bad breath, the active ingredients will be different, these include:
- Chlorophyll
- Phenolic compounds like Eygenol
- Thymol
- Triclosan
- Chlorine dioxide
- Zinc chloride
- Benzethonium chloride
- Chlorhexidine
- Cetylpyridinium chloride
To fight against cavities, you will need a mouthwash that has a remineralizing effect and action.
These will be anticaries mouthwashes that include active ingredients such as:
- Dibasic calcium phosphate
- Sodium monofluorophosphate
- Stannous fluoride
- Amine fluoride
- Sodium fluoride
Besides that, another use of the mouthwashes is their effect against dental hypersensitivity.
Fluoride toothpaste are usually good for sensitive teeth and strengthening the enamel, however, a fluoride mouthwash also helps against hypersensitivity.
These may contain ingredients such as
- Potassium nitrate
- Aluminium lactate
- Strontium chloride
Other than that, there are mouthwashes for whitening which may contain an active ingredient such as hydrogen peroxide, baking soda or carbamide peroxide.
This can whiten your teeth though, the product remains in contact with the teeth for a short while.
Hence, the whitening effect is rather minimal.
When there are different active ingredients, they can be for two different types of mouthwashes.
Types of Mouth Wash
Broadly there are two different types cosmetic and therapeutic.
Cosmetic ones are mainly for controlling bad breath.
Their temporary benefit is in freshening your breath.
However, they do not have any chemical or biological application and only leave behind a pleasant taste.
This type of mouthwash does not have any chemical effect on the bacteria that causes bad breath.
Hence, its purpose is only limited to masking the bad breath rather than killing the bacteria that cause it.
On the other hand, therapeutic mouthrinses and washes have active ingredients.
These control and reduce the presence of bacteria that helps in controlling tooth decay, plaque, gingivitis and bad breath.
The likes of chlorhexidine and essential oils control plaque and gingivitis in the mouth.
Moreover, fluoride prevents decay and Cetylpyridinium chloride reduces the bad breath by working against the bacteria.
Similarly, peroxide is a regular active ingredient in whitening mouthwashes for teeth whitening purpose.
As over the counter products, many of the mouthwashes are important in improving oral health conditions and preventing diseases.
Therefore, you can find mouthwashes with essential oils Over the Counter.
However, those that contain active ingredients such as chlorhexidine will only be available through prescription.
These that are pharmaceutical mouthwashes they consists of properties such as healing, analgesic effect, anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic effects.
Hence, if you want to tackle a particular, oral health problem, your dentist will recommend you get a therapeutic mouth wash.
So now that you know what a mouthwash contains and ts types, lets’ dig deeper into how you should be using it.
After all, it should stay in your mouth for a while so your should not be rinsing with it immediately afterwards.
How To Use a Mouth Wash?
The directions for each product may vary so consult the instructions at the back of the bottle.
However, most of them would follow similar instructions.
These include:
Brushing Your Teeth Beforehand
Before you start using a mouthwash, you should brush your teeth thoroughly.
Do your oral care routine before using the mouthwash.
This not only includes brushing but also flossing.
If you use fluoride or whitening toothpaste then wait for a while so that the mouth rinse does not wash away all of it.
Let the fluoride stay on your teeth for some time to avail its benefits and then rinse it later.
The amount to use
It is best to look at the instructions to determine what amount of mouthwash you should use.
Usually it is between 3 to 5 teaspoons.
You can use a plastic measuring cup to determine the amount of the product or use the cup provided with the mouthwash.
Do not exceed the amount of mouth rinse that the instructions mention.
Rinse Now
After you have poured in the amount of mouthwash needed, it is time to clean your teeth.
Swish the mouthwash in your mouth for 30 seconds.
Do not swallow the mouth but while you are rinsing also gargle for 30 seconds.
Swish it thoroughly around so that it reaches all the nooks and corners of your mouth.
Though, it is surely not meant for ingesting hence, you should avoid swallowing it and do the next step isntead.
Spit It Out
After you have been rinsing the mouthwash for a while, it is time to spit it out.
Spit it in the sink after one or two minutes have passed due to swishing it around.
Since you should not ingest it, remember to spit all of it.
When and How Often To Use It?
You can include the mouthwash in your daily routine.
This way, you can prevent oral health problems from occuring frequently.
It is not necessary in your oral hygiene routine but it plays an important role in providing additional protection.
There is no set rule on how you should be using it for your oral health.
You can also use it only to eliminate bad breath.
Besides that, you can also use it to temporarily mask your breath.
However, if you are using it to cure and prevent an oral health problem, then you will need them to stick by a routine to use it.
When you use the mouthwash is also important for oral health problems.
For isntance, it will not be as effective if you do not rinse after brushing and flossing for fighting gum disease and strengthening the tooth enamel.
Thus, to get best results, your teeth should be freshly cleaned befor eyour risne with a mouthwash.
Ideally you should be rinsing your mouth with a mouthwash twice a day that too after other oral care in order to get the best results.
This way t fulfills the need of an additional product for oral care without being an alternative for the main ones.
Besides that, you also need to look into the considerations of buying the right mouthwash.
How to Choose the Best Mouth Wash?
This is a subjective choice as the best mouthwash will be one that suits your needs.
Whether you need it for cosmetic purposes f masking your bad breath or for controlling gingivitis, choose according to your needs and diagnosis.
Your dentist may also guide you on choosing the mouthwash based on the active ingredients present.
That said any mouthwash should meet a general criteria.
For instance, it should have a pleasant taste as you will keep swishing it in your mouth for a while.
It should penetrate the dental plaque preferably and have a broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.
Plus, it is important that it is safe to use without any negative effects and toxicity.
The contents of the mouthwash should not chemically react with your toothpaste.
It is best to wait a while after brushing anyways to be safe but check that it does not react with the components of the toothpaste.
If you are looking for active ingredients then check if they are effective enough.
Moreover, it should also be a chemically stable mouthwash.
Finally,
Once you know what to look for in a mouth wash, use it regularly in your routine.
This way you will not only be able to reduce existing dental health problems but also prevent them from recurring or other oral diseases from arising.
