By Albina Shehu/ One of the most frequent questions my patients ask me is: "Which rinse aid should I use?" Before answering this question, let's dwell on some information about them.
Oral rinses are solutions that can improve oral hygiene.
They are of two types: cosmetic and therapeutic. Therapeutic rinses can help prevent dental caries, halitosis, gingivitis, postoperative wound healing and plaque reduction. Those cosmetics are in different flavors for a better smell of the mouth as well as teeth whitening, however this remains to be discussed.
Children under 6 should not use mouthwash unless their dentist recommends it because they may swallow it.
Using an oral rinse does not replace brushing or flossing, but it can enhance it by cleaning in areas you may not be able to clean.
Therapeutic rinses are taken on the recommendation of your dentist and used for the period determined by him because their use for a long time can give side effects such as yellowing of the teeth. The most commonly used therapeutic rinses are those containing chlorhexidine, which helps reduce bacterial plaque and gingivitis and is suggested to be obtained by prescription.
The simple rinses that we can access in supermarkets or drugstores are those called cosmetics, however, we can also find rinses that protect us from dental caries. The latter contain fluoride, and are recommended to be used in cases where we cannot brush our teeth, for example at work after meals or during trips.
Rinsers, however, do not enter the most important products for oral hygiene such as brushes, pastes and dental floss, they are supplementary products.
Although I am additionally listing some features to choose the right washer. A good mouthwash is always alcohol-free, high percentages of alcohol in mouthwashes are always thought to help disinfect the mouth, but meanwhile alcohol dries out the mouth and promotes bad breath and tooth decay. Also, oral rinses with alcohol in long-term use have been seen by studies to disrupt the balance of bacteria in favor of the oral flora, so we recommend their use with periods of rest.
