Should You Use Mouthwash?
Everyone knows that brushing your teeth is important for keeping your mouth healthy, but what about mouthwash? Dentists agree that mouthwash has certain benefits that can help you to protect both your teeth and gums. Here is some information about mouthwash to allow you to make an informed decision on whether to include it in your dental hygiene routine.
What Are the Advantages of Mouthwash?
The main advantage of mouthwash is that it provides cleaning to areas of your mouth that are too difficult to reach with your toothbrush. For example, you can effectively drive small specks of food and plaque out from between your teeth by swishing a liquid such as mouthwash around your mouth.
Fluoride Mouthwash
In addition to the cleaning effect of moving a liquid around your mouth, your teeth can also benefit from the use of mouthwash that contains fluoride. The role of fluoride is to provide the raw material that your teeth need to build and repair enamel. Dentists emphasise the importance of fluoride in toothpaste. Many dentists also recommend using fluoride-containing mouthwash to provide extra fluoride for your teeth.
Who Should Use Mouthwash?
If you live in a region that has low levels of fluoride in the tap water, then using mouthwash can be a very easy way to increase the exposure of your teeth to fluoride. This exposure gives your teeth a chance to create new enamel to protect against cavities.
If you live in an area with higher levels of fluoride in water supplies, then using mouthwash might still be useful for you. However, you should be careful to spit out the mouthwash rather than swallowing any of it as it is possible to get too much fluoride, which can cause dental discolouration.
Mouthwash for Gum Disease
Many dentists recommend medicated mouthwash products to people who suffer from gum disease. These mouthwashes usually contain an antibacterial ingredient, which helps to combat the overgrowth of bacteria that occurs in diseased gum tissue. If you are worried about the health of your gums, try using one of these mouthwash products. You should also schedule a checkup with your dentist.
Does Mouthwash Have Any Downsides?
Some people find that using mouthwash makes their mouth feel dry. If you have this problem, try a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol. You should also be aware that mouthwash is not an alternative to brushing and flossing your teeth.
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