We all know in this day and age that dental hygiene is really important, and that if you don't brush and floss, you're going to be in alot of pain later in life. Because human teeth are particularly prone to deterioration, for some reason. And the name of the devil in this situation is plaque and tartar. But flossing, oh man. It takes so long, and ouch, my fingers! So sometimes you're going to miss a day here and there. So, in addition to brushing and flossing, I've started including mouthwash into my dental hygiene routine. It's a great way to pick up the slack, or, that's how it has felt so far. But what do you guys think? Is mouthwash really all that? Or does it just feel clean because of the minty stuff they put in the solution? Do you use it? What brands do you like, or does it make a difference?
I do think it's an important part of a good dental hygiene routine, and I think that most brands do a pretty fair job of helping to keep your mouth clean, though a lot of them make a bit excessive claims in terms of whitening and other benefits that they don't necessarily live up to. But for cleaning at least it's a worthwhile investment- I just stick with listerine most of the time.
Any mouthwash that doesn't contain any amount of fluoride, is good for me. I usually get Equate mouthwash, because it doesn't contain Fluoride and is cheaper but has similar effects as other brands. I rarely use toothpaste anymore, and simply stick with mouthwash, because the latter practically works like the former.
I use Listerine, and believe me it works, I can attest to the fact that they don't just put minty substance in their products, so I went on this 90 day challenge with Listerine, where I was to use Listerine for 90 days for 30 seconds each time, twice a day, and to my pleasant surprise, I had a better smelling mouth, and! my white got whiter! I think the most importance part of teeth care is using mouthwash, brushing isn't as effective and neither is flossing, by far!
I usually go with Crest mouthwash. Although listerine is good as well. I think it's an important part of dental hygiene. Sometimes when you're brushing you're in a hurry so you don't really have time to get everything. Mouthwash helps rid your mouth of germs and bacteria, as well as small food particles you may have missed when you were brushing. I think people overlook washing their mouth out to their detriment.
I'm a big fan of the Scope mouthwash. Obviously it's not a substitute for brushing or flossing, but definitely good as a filler in the middle of the day. Freshens your breath and helps kills germs, so what could be bad? People who just swish instead of flossing I think don't really get the point. It's not going to go in between your teeth and get the food particles out, but makes you feel cleaner. And who doesn't love to be minty-fresh at all hours?
In the past I used Listerine, but apparently the alcohol content can increase the risk of oral cancer. While there is still much debate over this, personally I'm not taking any chances. I've since switched to Colgate Plax, which is pretty good as it also contains fluoride for cavity protection. As my toothpaste of choice, I think that the Colgate mouthwash also has a great minty sensation!
Listerine does alcohol-free variants, Listerine Zero. I use it because the ones containing alcohol burn in my mouth, it's nice, smooth, and the "smooth mint" one has really nice taste and aftertaste. I'd recommend it, honestly. I don't like the Colgate ones, they are a little too bitter for me.
I most recently used Betadine mouthwash as needed. My dentist don't recommend regularly using mouthwash, but to feel a bit nicer after a meal I like to gargle with salted, warm water. It's not a must, and I don't do it all the time, only when it's convenient to do so. I have, however, tried out Colgate and Listerine, both of which I think are a bit too much for daily use.
Plaque and tooth decay really has almost everything to do with your diet. Cut out all processed foods and sugar and you will stop it in its tracks and can even strengthen your teeth. Someone is bound to announce that what I just said is not possible, but I have personal experience to back me up here. Personally, I think the best mouthwash is actually just warm salt water, preferably natural sea salt, not table salt. Sea salt helps keep your oral bacteria levels healthy and does wonders to reduce gum problems. If you have an oral irrigater that's even better. Some people have been able to fully clear up their gingivitis just by using an oral irrigator with warm salt water every day.
I don't particularly use mouthwash as a substitute for flossing, but I do use it daily in addition to brushing and flossing. I have to use mouthwash due to some orthodontic work that bunched my gums up behind my two front teeth and made them boggy. My dentist told me to use it daily to toughen up my gums so that I wouldn't need the extra tissue cut out from the roof of my mouth. I think mouthwash is a lot more beneficial than most people believe. I use equate (generic walmart brand) of Listerine, in Spring Mint. I like to use this because I can feel the burn. I know some people don't like that and would rather use the gentler types of mouth wash but I love this kind. It let's me know it's working and feels super clean afterwards. When I use it after flossing, I can feel it cleaning deep into my gums.
I really like Act mouthwash in cinnamon flavor. It's gentle and kind of like Big Red gum in flavor. Or, like taking a shot of Goldschlager without the regrets or the hangover. It's hard to find around here, though.
The Listerine in my country comes from South Africa and the UK. The substance in Listerine that makes it really work is thymol. It comes from thyme and it is a natural antibacterial and antiviral. I am not sure if many people know this, but this why it leaves a cool, refreshing, clean effect on your mouth.
I thi mouthwash does work and it is very useful. I don't use one everyday though to be honest, mostly because I don't think I really need it all that often but whenever I'm going out with my friends and would like to be as fresh as possible I turn to mouthwash and it does help my breath stay fresh the whole night. Listerine is my favorite brand but as long as the product is strong enough I don't really care that much about the brand.
I usually use Scope, but I think I will switch to Listerine. The Scope I use doesn't seem as affective. Sure it makes my breath minty fresh, but as you say it seems like that's the only thing that's in there. Though I can feel it tingling sometimes I think I will go for Listerine. What toothpaste does everyone use? And has anyone ever tried the teeth whitening strips? Also my mom orders products from Atomy and she's been using their toothpaste. It really whitens and cleans your teeth. Have you tried their products?
Amen brother. No way man. I've badgered my dentists and dental assistants alot about the details of oral hygiene, and actually what flossing and brushing do is actually physically remove plaque from your teeth. Mouthwash is a great way to prevent plaque from forming, but dental plaque grows quite quickly; human mouths are a great environment for bacteria and the like. So even if you're mouthwashing it up three four times per day (which I might even advise against, might be too harsh for the mouth), you're still going to get some plaque formation. The way plaque works is that it forms along the gumline, and then it pushes the gums out from the base and root of the tooth, slowly opening up more space for more plaque to form, and continue the process. This is why your dentist measures the depth of the space between your teeth and gums.
Very nice comment! I love Crest Mouthwash! you see, the thing with Listerine is that it will give you that very harsh fresh feel in your mouth, so that you actually feel like you've killed practically all the germs in your mouth! the liquid is so minty! but Crest, I mean, I use Crest and forgot I used it! It's so mild..but so good! It instantly makes me feel clean, just like Listerine does. Crest has a little foamy thing to it that I like. Go mouthwash!
I have only used a few mouthwash brands including Listerine, Colgate Plax and Swish. Of these three brands, my favorite would have to be Listerine. The reason why I like Listerine is that it's really strong. Swish and Colgater are rather mild in comparison. Listerine makes every corner of your mouth feel so hot and then the freshness along with the taste of menthol just sets in.
I still like using the brown colored old fashioned Listerine. I will eat breakfast first. I will drink coffee and other liquids. Then I will brush my teeth. After all of that then I will rise with Listerine.
This is definitely something I've experienced with my mouthwash use. I'm not using Pisterine, but a bargain knockoff brand. I think it's the alcohol that contributes to the harshness of these mouthwashes, am I wrong? I imagine as well that, in addition to killing harmful bacteria, mouthwashes are also killing some beneficial bacteria. Because surely there's bacteria in our mouths and saliva that helps us chew and digest food, right? Do you guys know if crest uses alcohol, or if it uses less alcohol than Listerine?
