Choosing the right dental products is simpler than you think, and much of it boils down to personal preference combined with products that have been proven to be safe and effective for healthy smiles. Here’s what you should look for when shopping for oral care products!

A Soft-Bristled Toothbrush

Toothbrushes with hard bristles can damage tooth enamel over time. Brushing harder isn’t the same as brushing effectively. You should be as gentle and as thorough as possible when brushing your teeth—and a soft-bristled toothbrush can help you do that.

You can also consider using an electric toothbrush if you prefer. As long as you’re choosing a softer toothbrush—and, of course, brushing your teeth twice a day—the design doesn’t matter as much [1].

Fluoride Toothpaste

Unless you’ve been directed otherwise by your dentist, choose a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Fluoride has been shown to strengthen your tooth enamel, which can reduce instances of tooth decay and even tooth sensitivity.

If you have a medical condition or are allergic to fluoride, talk to your dentist about other toothpastes you can safely use. And remember, children shouldn’t use toothpaste with fluoride before the age of two [2]!

Floss

Flossing is an important part of any oral care routine and for preventing gum disease. You have many different choices when it comes to floss, whether you prefer flavored, waxed or unwaxed, and different materials such as nylon or silk.

You can even use floss holders or interdental cleaners such as water floss, which can be hugely helpful for people who have traditional braces to clean in between their brackets and wires. As long as you’re flossing once a day, it doesn’t matter which floss you choose!

Mouthwash

There are a few different types of mouthwash, and it’s important to remember that mouthwash, fluoride rinses, and therapeutic mouthwashes aren’t all the same.

Regular mouthwash is antibacterial and can help control plaque growth. Since it contains a certain amount of alcohol, regular mouthwash isn’t intended for children under the age of six [3]. Always read the label and follow the instructions!

Fluoride rinses are designed to cover the teeth with fluoride and strengthen them to prevent tooth decay. While they may also freshen breath, they aren’t designed to reduce plaque.

Therapeutic mouthwashes are typically prescribed by your dentist in the event that you have an oral health condition such as oral thrush or gum disease that needs a special formula to treat. Regardless of which mouthwash you choose, look for ones that have the ADA Seal of Acceptance!

When choosing dental products, you can make the appropriate choices for you and your family by following the above guidelines. Otherwise, choose a flavor and brand you love and continue to care for your smile in between your regular dental visits!

Sources:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4144140/
2. https://wwwhttps://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-
topics/mouthrinse.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride/more-info
3. https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/mouthrinse

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Aggressive Brushing

It doesn’t take much effort to remove plaque. This substance can easily be brushed off, making
hard or aggressive brushing not only unnecessarily, but damaging to teeth. If you use a medium
or hard-bristled toothbrush and exert force when brushing, you might just be damaging your
tooth enamel.

Aggressive brushing can wear away tooth enamel over time. It can even lead to receding gums,
which can create painful tooth sensitivity, especially when combined with enamel loss. Due to
this, cavities and gum disease may result. It’s not necessary to brush your teeth hard, so choose
a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently brush away the plaque!

Flossing Your Teeth Too Much

Flossing once per day is enough unless you have something that’s stuck in your teeth. You can
actually damage gum tissue by flossing too much or flossing too aggressively. When you floss
quickly or harshly, gums may bleed or become tender. Flossing too much can actually disrupt
the gumline, which can lead to receding gums and tooth sensitivity.

You only need to floss once each day. Remember that the quality, not the quantity, of your
flossing is important. Make sure you use enough floss to have a clean section between each set
of teeth. Floss gently, and take your time. The goal is to remove plaque and food particles that
could cause cavities, so apply gentle pressure and don’t hurt your gum tissue!

Frequent Daily Use of Mouthwash

Mouthwash is certainly beneficial for your oral health, but only when used appropriately. Since
many mouthwashes contain alcohol, this substance can be harsh on the tissues of the mouth if
overused. In fact, using mouthwash three times or more per day has been associated with an
increased risk of oral cancer.

You only need to use mouthwash one to two times per day in conjunction with your regular
oral care habits. It’s important to remember that mouthwash is by no means a replacement for
brushing and flossing, but rather a supplement. Your dentist can advise you more on when and
if you need to use mouthwash based on your unique smile!

So there you have it—while cleaning your teeth is absolutely beneficial for your oral health,
there are downsides to cleaning your teeth too much. These include stripping away enamel
from harsh brushing, irritating the gum tissue from flossing too much, and increasing your risk
for oral disease by using mouthwash too many times per day. Stay healthy and keep your teeth
clean!

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Plaque Needs to Be Scrubbed Away

Plaque is that fuzzy feeling you get on your teeth after waking in the morning and generally a few hours after brushing. Bacteria in our mouths as well as foods can cause this substance to build up on our teeth. Plaque typically doesn’t pose a risk to our teeth and gums as long as it’s sufficiently removed every day via brushing and at the dentist office during regular professional cleanings.

Mouthwash by itself can’t remove plaque—plaque needs to be gently scrubbed away with your toothbrush as well as with proper flossing. Swishing mouthwash around in your mouth can compliment your oral hygiene after brushing and flossing, but it won’t help to remove harmful plaque after an entire day of not brushing!

Mouthwash Can Help Remove Food

Mouthwash is beneficial to your smile in addition to brushing because it can help remove food that’s stuck between your teeth as well as make your breath fresher. Although getting food particles out from between your teeth is important, this is something that’s best done physically with floss rather than general rinsing—flossing will actually help to scrape plaque away as well!

Before bed, flossing to remove those food particles can be beneficial along with mouthwash. Mouthwash can help prevent buildup of food particles as well as the bad bacteria that can contribute to bad breath and gum disease. If you have chronic bad breath even after brushing and using mouthwash, visit your dentist—this is a symptom of gum disease!

An Occasional Substitute

We all forget to brush our teeth once in a while, or else we find ourselves in a situation without a toothbrush. When this happens, using mouthwash is better than not doing anything at all. If you’re without a toothbrush, swish with mouthwash as you normally would—overuse of mouthwash is just as damaging as not using it at all!

If you’re without floss, mouthwash can help with that as well. It can help remove that stuck food and kill bacteria associated with oral disease. However, remember that mouthwash is best used in combination with these practices—but if you forget your toothbrush once in a while, some mouthwash can help you make it through the night!

Mouthwash might seem like a quick and easy solution instead of brushing and flossing before bedtime, but the truth is that it’s just not an effective replacement to actually cleaning your teeth. Mouthwash can help prevent harmful bacteria and give you fresh breath, but you should never stop brushing your teeth in favor of mouthwash before bed!

Image provided by nenetus at Freedigitalphotos.net

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Fights Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Mouthwash can actually help combat the bacteria that contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. This is most effective when used after your tooth decay or gum disease has already been diagnosed and treated. However, if you’re looking to prevent these adverse oral health problems, then mouthwash is your new best friend! It helps to prevent the buildup of plaque, reduce bad bacteria in the mouth, and can even help reduce the likelihood that you’ll get cavities. Used either before or after brushing, regular mouthwash use (but not overuse) can help you fight early symptoms of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.

Helps Bad Breath and Can Help Remove Stuck Food

Perhaps one of the most popular features of mouthwash is that it helps reduce bad breath and can help your mouth feel minty and fresh. It’s important to remember, however, that mouthwash doesn’t cure the underlying cause of your bad breath. Many times, problems such as tooth decay or gum disease can cause bad breath. Although mouthwash may help alleviate your symptoms, your bad breath won’t go away until the root cause of the problem is treated, so see your dentist! Mouthwash can also function as a floss for when you don’t have access to floss or don’t have time to. It can help remove unseen food particles from between your teeth and therefore help prevent cavities!

Which Kind Is Best and How to Use

What kind of mouthwash you choose to use depends on you and your unique oral needs. For instance, mouthwashes with fluoride help prevent tooth decay and cavities, so if you’re worried about your kids getting cavities, you may want to choose a mouthwash that contains fluoride. Antiseptic mouthwashes such as those with alcohol can help fight bacteria and prevent gum disease and bad breath. Even salt water rinses or homemade mouthwash can help with problems such as canker sores. It’s important to talk with your dentist about which mouthwash would be best for you. People with sensitive teeth might not do well with the harsher antiseptic mouthwashes, but might feel more comfortable with a fluoride rinse. Your dentist can help you choose!

Mouthwash is an important part of your oral care routine that shouldn’t be overlooked! By helping to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, cavities, and bad breath, the benefits of using a quality mouthwash are numerous. Remember that using mouthwash works to supplement your brushing and flossing routine—not to replace it. Talk with your dentist about which mouthwash would be a good fit for you!

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Bad breath caused by foods like garlic or beverages like coffee is temporary, but chronic bad breath is a problem that needs treatment and not just a cover-up. Halitosis, the proper term for bad breath, is caused by bacteria on the teeth and gums. Chronic bad breath could be a sign of gum disease.

Most mouthwashes contain ingredients that fight bacteria. When choosing a mouthwash, look carefully at the claims on the label, and then look for the ADA seal. The ADA (American Dental Association) seal means that the ADA has agreed that the mouthwash does what it claims to do. Mouthwash labels may use phrases like tartar control or plaque fighting. Without the ADA seal, these claims may not be valid.

Mouthwash may also contain fluoride. You should be using fluoride toothpaste twice a day to brush your teeth, but a fluoride mouthwash may also be recommended. Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel and helps to prevent cavities and tooth decay.

Breath mints and mint chewing gums are not actually harmful as long as they contain no sugar. Chewing gum can actually help your teeth by promoting saliva production, which helps to wash away acids from foods. Chewing sugarless gum after meals is actually a good habit, but if you are using gum or mints constantly to fight bad breath, you should see the dentist.

Gum disease and tooth decay will cause bad breath that keeps coming back no matter how much mouthwash you use. Getting these problems treated will eliminate chronic bad breath, save your teeth and prevent toothache, bleeding gums and other oral health problems. You can keep normal, food-related bad breath in check and fight bacteria by using ADA approved mouthwash as part of your daily oral hygiene routine.

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