Mouthwash/rinse

Using a mouthwash / rinse brings extra benefits for your oral care routine. Mouthrinse may be used short term to help resolve an acute problem e.g. ulcers or longer term on a daily basis. Daily mouth rinsing is not an alternative to toothbrushing and interdental cleaning but an added extra. Some people struggle to control the bacterial plaque biofilm in their mouth at a level that keeps their mouth healthy. This is where the right mouth rinse can add a little ‘extra’ to tip the balance towards health.

You will find individual product descriptions outline their benefits, but there are some things worth noting before selecting a mouth rinse to your routine.

• Mouthwash / Mouthrinse is generally best used at a different time of day to tooth brushing. When you brush your teeth spit out the toothpaste but don’t rinse afterwards. Let the toothpaste ingredients stay around your teeth to work for longer. Using a mouthwash immediately after brushing means potentially skipping the benefits of the toothpaste – and/or mouthwash! So generally, if you haven’t been advised otherwise by your dental professional, rinse at a different time of day to when you brush. That way you spread the benefits of your oral care products over the course of the day.
• Not all rinsing is the same! Some techniques for rinsing are better than others! When using a mouthwash/rinse follow the instructions on how much to use. Rinse vigorously – this means closing your lips together and forcing the liquid around your mouth and between teeth. This way you will get the maximum benefit.
• Using a mouthwash/rinse is NOT an ALTERNATIVE to thorough daily interdental cleaning/flossing and effective toothbrushing. Many believe that rinsing is an easier and just as effective option to flossing/cleaning between teeth. WRONG! While it would be great if we could so easily remove the plaque biofilm from our teeth by rinsing it just doesn’t work! Its the physical movement of the bristles on the tooth surfaces that disrupts the bacterial plaque biofilm.

Choose a mouthwash/mouthrinse carefully to suit your individual needs then use regularly as part of your overall health care routine.