Maintaining your oral hygiene is an essential aspect of your health, and good oral hygiene goes beyond brushing and flossing. Mouthwash is an excellent addition to your oral hygiene routine, that kills bacteria and prevents bad breath. A healthy mouth means less chances of gum diseases and cavities later. However, with the myriad of options available in the market, selecting the best mouthwash can be overwhelming. Different types of mouthwash are formulated to address specific oral issues.
If you’re not a fan of visiting the dentist, you aren’t alone. A poll conducted by Hello Products, a dental care startup, polled 2,000 adults in the U.S. on their oral hygiene habits. Their findings showed that overall, 62 percent of adults surveyed said that they were too spooked to even visit a dentist’s office. Millennials were more likely than those over 55 to create excuses to avoid regular dental checkups (56 percent to 36 percent, respectively). Dental hygiene starts at home, and making sure your teeth are taken care of can help you avoid dentist visits that involve anxiety-inducing procedures.
Inadequate oral hygiene can directly lead to the formation of plaque and tartar from overgrown bacteria. Increased plaque and tartar leads to tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing and flossing your teeth daily are the main methods you should focus on to maintain your oral health, with mouthwash only acting as a supplement, not a substitute. According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that oral diseases affect nearly 3.5 billion people. Most oral diseases are completely preventable by maintaining proper habits.
If you’re looking to add to your oral hygiene routine, StudyFinds is happy to help! We’ve compiled a list of the best mouthwash to try, using the top recommendations across 10 expert websites. If you have a favorite mouthwash, let us know which one in the comments below.
The List: Best Mouthwash, According to Experts
1. ACT Restoring Zero Alcohol Fluoride Mouthwash
If you’re looking for a budget friendly addition to your bathroom counter that does the job, NBC News reports “the ADA says the mouthwash ‘is safe and has shown efficacy in helping to prevent tooth decay.’” The formula is only $4 and is ADA approved to fight cavities using sodium fluoride.
This mouthwash is also alcohol free, so users shouldn’t experience an antiseptic burning sensation or experience a dry mouth. Fluoride has been proven to strengthen the tooth enamel to prevent cavities. “It also contains the anti-cavity ingredient sodium fluoride,” adds Good Housekeeping.
Style Craze names this the best product for sensitive gums. “It restores enamel health and prevents tooth decay. It strengthens the enamel and prevents plaque formation.”
2. Listerine Total Care Alcohol-Free Anticavity Mouthwash
Listerine’s version of this mouthwash also is alcohol free and contains fluoride to give your tooth enamel extra strength. Style Craze writes “With regular use, it claims to strengthen your teeth by 50% and prevent the occurrence of cavities.”
The fluoride content is a bit lower than in other fluoride mouthwashes on the market, so if you’re more prone to calories you might want to choose a different mouthwash. According to NBC News, “This mouthwash contains several ingredients that the dentists we spoke to highlighted: The active ingredient sodium fluoride fights cavities and menthol, eucalyptol and thymol have antiseptic properties.”
This is a great option for everyone! “Zero alcohol mouthwash isn’t just for kids,” adds Forbes. This formula has a refreshing minty flavor with all of the same benefits like reduction of bad breath and strengthened enamel.
3. Crest Pro-Health Advanced Extra Whitening Mouthwash
The ingredients in this Crest mouthwash are sodium fluoride, water, glycerin, and hydrogen peroxide. Fluoride strengthens teeth and prevents cavities, while the foaming action of hydrogen peroxide works to remove and reduce surface stains on teeth. Men’s Health mentions “fluoride rinse helps decrease oral decay and strengthen tooth enamel–all while whitening your teeth.”
According to Prevention, “This rinse has all of the multi-tasking benefits of the regular Pro-Health formula (plaque clearing, gum disease and bad breath preventing) plus the added bonus of teeth whitening.” Ringing in at around $7 for a large 32 oz bottle, this Crest mouthwash is a steal for all the benefits offered.
4. TheraBreath Fresh Breath Oral Rinse
If you need a mouthwash that focuses specifically on fighting bad breath, TheraBreath Fresh Breath Oral Rinse is your friend. Bad breath is caused by odor producing bacteria that grow in the mouth on bits of food in your mouth and in between your teeth. “Its purpose is to reduce sulfur-producing bacteria in the mouth and eliminate even severe bad breath for up to 1 day,” adds Healthline.
TheraBreath is alcohol-free and antibacterial and its effects are designed to last up to a full day from just one rinse. Eliminating bad breath-causing bacteria also helps to reduce plaque and tartar and prevent gum disease or tooth decay. According to Robb Report, “The active ingredient in this periodontist-developed recipe is the antimicrobial cetylpyridinium chloride 0.05 percent, which not only protects the gums but also helps prevent plaque, tartar and foul breath.”
5. Biotene Dry Mouth Oral Rinse
If you suffer from a dry mouth, it can often cause oral hygiene problems as well. Saliva helps to prevent gum disease or more cavities since it has antibodies that fight the bacteria in your mouth that cause cavities. Lasry Dental Clinic says, “It’s also alcohol-free, so it can be used multiple times daily!”
Biotene contains glycerin, an ingredient used to retain moisture, as well as xylitol, which is a natural sweetener that helps to prevent cavities. “Biotene has a nice mouth-feel thanks to the glycerin, and leaves your mouth feeling minty fresh instead of chemically like a lot of other mouthwashes designed for this issue,” explains Health.
According to NBC News, this product “has a formula that the brand says ‘soothes and lubricates,’ dry mouth for up to four hours.”
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Sources:
- NBC News
- Good Housekeeping
- Style Craze
- Forbes
- Men’s Health
- Prevention
- Healthline
- Robb Report
- Lasry Dental Clinic
- Health
Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.
Toothpaste containing Xylitol has been featured in a fascinating book by Ellie Phillips, a dentist, who describes mouth chemistry and biology in detail. I suggest looking at this carefully.