Mouthwash is a dental health solution when used correctly. We answer the question, "Is mouthwash necessary, and how to use it in a routine?"

What Is in Mouthwash?

To understand the health benefits of mouthwash, you have to be aware of what goes into it. The typical mouthwash has several different things included to help improve your oral health. 



Some of these things include fluoride, peroxide, chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride, and more. 

Preventing Gingivitis

One of the biggest things that mouthwash can do for you is prevent gingivitis. For those of you who do not know, this is a type of gum disease that causes damage to your gums if ignored for too long. 

Typically, this is caused by too much mouth bacteria building up in your gums. That can come from bad oral health habits, ignoring your oral health completely, and consuming food and beverages that impact your gums. 

It can make your gums inflamed and even painful to touch. On top of this, it makes your mouth a lot more uncomfortable. 

What can mouthwash do about this? It can help get rid of the bacteria that may be building up in your gums. Eliminating that bacteria helps protect your gums and prevents them from being negatively affected by said bacteria. 



For those who are worried about the state of their gums, using mouthwash is a great preventative measure. 

Preventing Tooth Decay

Something else you may be concerned about is possible tooth decay. This can happen if you are negligent about your oral health and expose your teeth to certain things. These things include caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, candy, and more.

The point is that with enough time, your teeth will decay. It will impact both your oral health and your overall appearance.

One thing that can help delay or prevent this is using mouthwash. Fluoride is in mouthwash and it has been proven to help prevent tooth decay. 

Tooth decay can result in a lot of other oral health problems. This includes but is not limited to cracked teeth, missing teeth, crooked teeth, and more. 



Cosmetically, it also means that your appearance will suffer. With a missing or cracked tooth, you will not have a desirable or beautiful smile compared to your peers. Take the time to use mouthwash and help prevent this possibility. 

Preventing Cavities

Along with preventing tooth decay, mouthwash is a great way to help fight cavities. That is because fluoride is also known to help prevent this and strengthen your teeth overall. 



You could be someone who has a lot of food that contains sugar. Or, you could simply be someone who likes to drink a lot of alcohol. 

Either way, using mouthwash can help minimize the risk of cavities and help you require less dental work in the future.

Whitening Your Teeth

If you want to improve your smile, using mouthwash can be one of the easiest ways to do just that. That is because mouthwash typically has ingredients that help whiten your teeth. 

The main ingredient used for this is peroxide. It shows up in a lot of mouthwashes that are known to help whiten your teeth. 

This has a lot of cosmetic benefits, but it is also a good sign that your teeth are strong and healthy. 

Plus, having a good smile helps you gain confidence and feel better about your overall appearance. For those of you who rely on their appearance for a living, there could be financial benefits to keeping up with this as well. 



If you want to avoid more invasive procedures to whiten your teeth, using mouthwash regularly can be a great alternative. 

Other Cosmetic Benefits

You should know that there are certain types of mouthwash out there specifically for cosmetic benefits. While one example is a mouthwash known for whitening your teeth, there are other things it can help you with. 

One of those things is to improve your breath. If you do not have time to go back home and brush your teeth, mouthwash can be a great way to improve your breath while on the road. 

Let's say that you had a delicious hamburger before you went out to a nightclub. However, that hamburger had a lot of onions in it that caused your breath to stink. 

You want to take care of this before you go to that nightclub and start talking to other people. What you can do is carry mouthwash with you and rinse your mouth out as soon as you are done with dinner. 



This helps solve the problem immediately without disrupting your night. You get the best of both worlds by enjoying that hamburger while maintaining your breath quality. 

Other Dental Health Habits

While mouthwash can help you with the things mentioned above, it is not a substitute for other things that help your dental health. Two of the big things that you should still do are brushing and flossing. 

These things help deal with any plaque and food still stuck in your mouth. Plus, there are extra precautions to take that will help keep your teeth strong and prevent tooth decay. 



Mouthwash is still a good compliment to this for additional benefits. However, it is not the primary action like brushing and flossing should be. 

Is Mouthwash Necessary?

So, is mouthwash necessary for your oral health? The answer is both yes and no.

Mouthwash is not necessary for cosmetic things such as good breath and whiter teeth. However, these things are likely to be better received because of mouthwash. 

It is also not quite as important as brushing and flossing, but it still helps with things such as preventing tooth decay and gingivitis. 

For more recommendations, you should see one of our dentists at Dentiland. We have a unique location in Tijuana that can help Americans and Mexicans alike. 



Become a patient with us today.