Find out if mouthwash should be an essential part of your oral care routine each day.
You know that brushing and flossing are a regular and vital part of maintaining good oral health, but what about mouthwash? You may be wondering if this is the missing link to improving your oral health or whether it’s even necessary. Our Stamford, CT, general dentists Dr. Irina Pogosian and Dr. Thomas Ohlson provide a little insight into why people use mouthwash and whether you should consider it.
Most people use mouthwash to freshen their breath. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, having fresh breath is great; however, most mouthwashes just mask the underlying causes of bad breath such as plaque buildup or food stuck between teeth. Chronic bad breath could also signify other more serious issues like an infection. If you’ve been fighting bad breath for a while and you aren’t sure of the cause then it’s time to talk to our Stamford general dentist.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use mouthwash or that you should stop if you do. In fact, mouthwash can be a great complement to the rest of your daily routine (as long as you don’t skimp on brushing and flossing as a result). It’s a good idea to swig some mouthwash prior to brushing and flossing. This can help to dislodge food and plaque from between teeth to give you an easier and more effective brushing and flossing session. Of course, if you don’t have mouthwash handy you can swig some water and it will have the same effect.
There are some therapeutic mouthwashes that our Stamford family dentist will recommend using if you need to increase your fluoride intake, if you deal with painful problems like canker sores, or if you have gum inflammation that could turn into gum disease. If this mouthwash contains xylitol, an ingredient known to reduce the amount of decay-producing bacteria present, then it’s a safe bet that it will help promote better oral health.
Whether you have questions about what kind of mouthwash you should be using or if you need to schedule your six-month cleaning, the dental experts at Comprehensive Dental Group in Stamford, CT, are here to help.