Mouthwash is a great addition to your daily dental hygiene routine, helping you kill bacteria in your mouth and keep your teeth and gums healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But a huge number of people are using it incorrectly, so today I wanted to dive in, and give you a \u2018dentist eye\u2019s view\u2019 of mouthwash, so you can make the most of your mouthwash:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How often should you use mouthwash?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It depends. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Every day<\/u> for fresh breath and healthy gums –<\/strong> regular daily mouthwash (like a fluoride one) can help strengthen your teeth and keep your breath fresh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Short term<\/u> for gum disease or specific dental problems – <\/strong>sometimes, special mouthwashes like Corsodyl<\/strong> are recommended by your dentist. These are medicated and help treat gum infections, bleeding gums, or after dental surgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These sorts of mouthwashes are powerful, but they’re not meant for long-term daily use \u2014 usually just for a couple of weeks at a time. Using them too long can cause side effects, like staining your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wondering what mouthwash you should use? Just drop us a line and ask, or quiz your dentist at your next appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where should mouthwash fit in your oral hygiene regime?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where the mistake I mentioned earlier comes in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lots of people use mouthwash straight after brushing \u2014 but that\u2019s not actually the best time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, you should avoid using mouthwash right after brushing your teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because brushing leaves a protective layer of fluoride on your teeth, and rinsing immediately with mouthwash can wash it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s a better way to do it:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Brush your teeth first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Spit, but don\u2019t rinse with water\u2014 leave that fluoride to do its job!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Wait about 30 minutes, then use your mouthwash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, you can use mouthwash at a different time altogether \u2014 like after lunch or dinner \u2014 to freshen up and give your teeth a fluoride boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alcohol vs Alcohol-Free Mouthwash \u2013 which should you use?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll likely have noticed that some mouthwashes have alcohol in them and others don’t. Here’s the difference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Alcohol-based mouthwashes – <\/strong>these help kill bacteria effectively, but they can sometimes cause a burning feeling and dry out your mouth. They’re usually fine if your mouth is healthy and you don\u2019t mind the strong taste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00b7 Alcohol-free mouthwashes – <\/strong>much gentler and just as effective for daily use! They’re a better option if you have sensitive gums, a dry mouth, or just prefer something milder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re not sure which one to go for, starting with an alcohol-free option is usually a safe bet for most people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Final mouthwash tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n -Use the amount recommended on the label \u2014 usually about 20ml. Need any more info on mouthwash? We\u2019re here to help \u2013 drop us a reply via email or talk to us at your next appointment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ketan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mouthwash is a great addition to your daily dental hygiene routine, helping you kill bacteria in your mouth and keep your teeth and gums healthy. But a huge number of people are using it incorrectly, so today I wanted to dive in, and give you a \u2018dentist eye\u2019s view\u2019 of mouthwash, so you can make … Continue reading You could be using mouthwash wrong<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2575,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brightsidedental.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
– Swish it around your mouth for about 30-60 seconds before spitting it out.
– Don\u2019t swallow it!
– Check if your mouthwash contains fluoride if you want extra protection against cavities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n