Sometime you meet someone and their breath is so fresh you want to know what kind of mouthwash they use.

Here’s my question, is mouthwash only to freshen your breath, would a piece of gum do the same thing? No! What kind of mouth wash you choose is similar to choosing the right toothpaste. It depends on what your mouth needs. There are only a few different kinds of “Mouth Rinse” packaged in a thousand different ways. 

Fluoride-Containing Mouthwash

Mouthwash to Freshen Your Breath

Most popular mouth wash is sold primarily to freshen breath but, they don’t necessarily offer any long-term dental health benefits.

The bacteria killed by these types of mouth rinses will grow back eventually, and while you’ll have fresh and minty breath in the short-term, these rinses don’t actually improve your oral health.

Anti-Plaque or Anti-Gingivitis Mouthwash

Although brushing and flossing are the key components of good oral health, we don’t always do as good a job with these tasks as we should. Anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis mouthwash can give a boost to your dental care habits by killing potentially damaging bacteria.

If it the Mouthwash bottle you are interested in using has the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval is means the claims made on the bottle have been verified by an independent scientific body

 Oral bacteria can cause gum disease, so using a rinse that eliminates some of these organisms will help your overall oral health. For people with more serious oral health concerns, dentists can prescribe stronger mouth rinses. “Another level is available by prescription to fight advanced plaque and gingivitis. This will keep inflammation down,” Henshaw says.

Mouthwash is not a substitute for regular and effective brushing and flossing.

Mouthwash serves a purpose, whether to freshen your breath or help fight plaque and gingivitis.  Don’t get lazy with your toothbrush and dental floss. And when choosing a mouth rinse product, pick one that has the ADA seal of approval.