Elmhurst Dentist Explains The Ways to Utilize Mouthwash to Benefit Your Oral Health

Written by Dr. Scharfenberg on Jul 23, 2013

Lori—a long-term patient at our Elmhurst dentist office—recently came in for her semi-annual cleaning. While she was chatting with our dental team, she mentioned that lately, in the middle of the day, her mouth was feeling kind of stale and grimy. Lori was already brushing her teeth morning and night, and flossing every night, so she was looking for a way to further boost her oral hygiene routine.

Our dentist encouraged Lori to try incorporating a mouth rinse into her hygiene routine, to see if this made a difference for her. Mouthwash can help to freshen and clean your mouth, because…

1. Swishing mouthwash around your mouth will help to free dental debris from between your teeth.

2. Mouthwash is formulated to neutralize the bacteria that you may miss by brushing and flossing alone.

3. Mouthwash also temporarily freshens your breath

If you are going to use mouthwash in the morning and the evening, you should incorporate it as the last step of your dental hygiene routine. First floss to clean plaque and food particles from between the teeth. Then brush to buff plaque away and clean your mouth. Finally rinse with mouthwash to neutralize any remaining bacteria and to flush away any remaining bits of detritus.

You can also use mouthwash in the middle of the day to help freshen your breath between cleanings. Rinse with mouth rinse after meals to combat odorous foods and clear away plaque.

Lori started using mouthwash as part of her regular oral hygiene routine, and she found that it definitely boosted her oral health. Not only did Lori’s breath feel and smell fresher, but she also saw a significant improvement in her gum health.

If you have any questions about daily oral hygiene practices, our Elmhurst dentist office is here to help. Give us a call to get started!