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Rachel Mendelson/Insider”A quick 30-second rinse with a mouthwash can help prevent plaque buildup, gingivitis, cavities, bacteria, and provides cosmetic benefits like better breath and whiter teeth,” New York-based cosmetic dentist Lana Rozenberg, DDS told Insider. Mouthwash should never replace a solid brushing and flossing regimen, which is the only way to take care of your teeth and gums long-term. And while using mouthwash isn’t a must, it can still be an effective supplement to an oral health routine.
The gargle can more easily access parts of the mouth brushing and flossing can’t, like the gums and soft tissues, explained Amanda Lewis, DMD, a cosmetic dentist in Dallas and founder of flossing brand Lewie. She recommended rinsing with a mouthwash after brushing to cover all your bases. Every dentist I talked to for this guide recommended, among other buying tips, going with an alcohol-free mouthwash to avoid a burning sensation and irritated cheeks and gums.
For some, a fluoride mouthwash is best and because things like taste are what really make a happy customer, I tried eight leading mouthwash brands that fit our expert’s guidelines to narrow down which are best. Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests health products. Here are the best mouthwashesBest fluoride and for bad breath: Therabreath Healthy Smile Oral Rinse, available at Amazon, $17.
44Therabreath Sparkle Mint is an alcohol-free, fluoride mouthwash that targets bad breath-causing bacteria and leaves your breath feeling perfectly minty, making it our top overall pick for any person. Best remineralizing mouthwash: Lumineux Oral Essentials, available at Amazon, $11. 99Lumineux Oral Essentials restores lost minerals to our teeth, while also cleaning and freshening our breath.
Best whitening: Colgate CO Antistain, available at Co. by Colgate, $16. 10Later, Stains! Foaming Anti-Stain Mouth Rinse by Colgate CO Antistain creates a layer to help prevent immediate stains, and it’s small enough to stash in your bag for use on the go.
Best non-mint natural mouthwash: Closys, available at Amazon, $11. 49If you hate mint, try Closys Ultra Sensitive Unflavored where you get to control the flavor levels via natural ingredients. Best flouride mouthwash for bad breathTherabreath Sparkle Mint is beloved by dentists and tastes good, making it the best mouthwash for bad breath and the best fluoride mouthwash.
Alex Frost/Insider$17. 44 FROM AMAZONOriginally $22. 99 | Save 24%Therabreath Sparkle Mint is an alcohol-free, fluoride mouthwash that targets bad breath-causing bacteria and leaves your breath feeling perfectly minty, making it our top overall pick for any person.
Pros: Sizable top to use as a cup, the right amount of mint, great aftertaste, alcohol-free so it doesn’t burnCons: NoneThree of our experts recommended Therabreath as the best mouthwash available, including the best mouthwash for bad breath and the best fluoride mouthwash. Brian Luong, DMD, a dentist in Santa Ana, CA likes it, particularly for those who can’t tolerate alcohol in a mouth rinse and Dr. Rozenberg likes it for bad breath prevention, thanks to the sodium chlorite, an oxygenating ingredient that specifically targets and kills bad breath bacteria.
In addition to containing no mouth-burning alcohol, it also has no artificial flavors or artificial colors. This mouthwash is called Sparkle Mint, and that’s exactly how your mouth feels after using it: It didn’t taste peppery like some others I tried, and it had just the right amount of mint flavor. There were no weird or chemical-filled aftertastes when I tested it, making it the top option.
Lastly, Therabreath’s top also doubles as a cup (which not all mouthwashes have), which keeps it convent and easy to portion. Best remineralizing mouthwashLumineux Oral Essentials mouthwash can help strengthen your teeth. Alex Frost/Insider$11.
99 FROM AMAZONOriginally $15. 99 | Save 25%Lumineux Oral Essentials restores lost minerals to our teeth, while also cleaning and freshening our breath. Pros: Rich mineral content, natural taste, contains other natural healing ingredientsCons: Mildly chemical after tasteJust like we take vitamins for our bodies, our teeth need minerals, too.
Certain mouthwashes can help restore the minerals in your teeth, a process called remineralization. While some toothpaste provides these properties, using a remineralizing mouthwash too can further the process. “Lumineux Oral Essentials is a dentist-formulated mouthwash made with Dead Sea salt, well-known for its rich mineral content,” Dr.
Rozenberg said. “This mouthwash also contains holy basil oil, a known adaptogen, a substance studies suggest is considered helpful in helping the body adapt to stress, and aloe vera juice, which is renowned for its soothing and healing properties. ” When it comes to taste, I found that this mouthwash had more of a “real” or natural mint vibe, but it also had a super mild chemical-like aftertaste.
It wasn’t strong enough that I’d say to avoid using it, though, especially with the above benefits mentioned. Best whitening mouthwashThe Anti-Stain Mouth Rinse by Colgate CO helps keep teeth white by preventing future stains. Alex Frost/Insider$16.
10 FROM CO. BY COLGATELater, Stains! Foaming Anti-Stain Mouth Rinse by Colgate CO Antistain creates a layer to help prevent immediate stains, and it’s small enough to stash in your bag for use on the go. Pros: Small size makes it portable; looks and feels more like a beauty product; more tolerable for sensitive mouthsCons: The foaming can feel weirdThese days, there are so many ways to brighten your teeth, from everyday whitening toothpaste to at-home whitening strips to expensive but effective in-office treatments.
Colgate CO Antistain foaming mouthwash aims to help prevent future stains so you don’t undo all the trouble you’ve gone through to get pearly whites. And Dr. Lewis said this is actually possible: “This may be able to help prevent stains because of the ingredients that are humectants, mainly the Glycerine.
. . this class of ingredient can work to create a slick surface for a period of time.
“Now, how long that effect lasts is up for debate — Dr. Lewis said it depends on a person’s salivary output and how much they are eating and drinking. But if you’ve spent money and time on scoring a brighter smile, it may help to use this mouthwash before a coffee date or wine with friends.
It’s also helpful that Colgate CO Antistain foaming mouthwash is just slightly bigger than your palm, making it easy to stash in your purse or glove box. We should note, however, that this feels less like traditional mouthwash and more like a mousse for your mouth. It’s kind of weird, but also less wet and sloshy of an experience.
When I tried it, I found the formula felt gentler than other mouthwashes and didn’t try to clear out my sinuses like other brands. Best non-mint natural mouthwashClosys Ultra Sensitive Unflavored is a natural mouthwash that lets you customize your own flavor. Alex Frost/Insider$11.
49 FROM AMAZONOriginally $14. 99 | Save 23%If you hate mint, try Closys Ultra Sensitive Unflavored where you get to control the flavor levels via natural ingredients. Pros: Neutral taste unless you add flavor, contains an expert-recommended antimicrobial agent, has bad breath smashing ingredientCons: Adding flavor drops is one more stepIf you don’t really like strong flavors but want the benefits of mouthwash, check out Closys.
You can either use the neutral-tasting mouthwash on its own or customize the taste by adding in your desired amount of the accompanying flavor drops, which are made with the natural ingredients of mineral oil and peppermint. What’s more, it’s a quality mouthwash period. “It contains chlorine dioxide which kills bacteria and oxidizes volatile sulfur compounds that cause bad breath,” explains Phil Devore, DDS, restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentist at Image Dental in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Joseph Field, DDS, a dentist in Los Altos, CA agreed, calling it the “best over-the-counter mouth rinse,” since chlorine dioxide isn’t destructive to the oral cavity like alcohol-based rinses can be, he says. When I tested this mouthwash, I liked the customizable taste and the product overall. But as someone who already finds their oral care routine tedious with remembering to brush, floss, and use mouthwash, having to add my own flavor drops was just one step too many for me to opt for this every day.
However, if you love a perfectly curated product or really don’t like too strong of a mint flavor, this mouthwash is great for you. What else we consideredWhat else we recommendPhilips Sonicare Breath Rx ($9. 99): This is a quality, widely-available mouthwash with a peppery mint taste.
Our top pick beat it out as best overall and best alcohol-free mouthwash, but this is still a solid pick recommended by one of our dentists. What we don’t recommendKlen Natural Mint Mouth Rinse ($12): While we are digging the minimalistic bottle and overall vibe of the brand Klen and we love its toothpaste, the natural mint mouth rinse had a pretty odd taste. However, if you are looking for another natural option, it may be worth a try.
Bite Fresh Mint Mouthwash Bits ($20 for a 4-month supply): While we love the concept of an on-the-go, plastic-free product, we struggled a bit with actually using this product. First, you have to hold a tablet in your mouth while sipping a bit of water, then biting down and swishing the whole thing around. For some, this may be preferable to full-blown mouthwash, but I found it to be quite a few extra steps.
What is the best mouthwash?Rachel Mendelson/InsiderTo answer this question, I tested top brands and rated them based on taste, consistency (aka not too watery or too thick), and user-friendly packaging. When picking which mouthwashes were worth my time to test, I turned to our expert’s advice, which says we should all consider the below when shopping for the best mouthwash:Look for antimicrobial (antibacterial) ingredients such as Chlorine Dioxide or Sodium Chlorite. Avoid alcohol-based rinses.
They irritate most people’s mouths, including those with a sensitive mouth, bad breath, mouth sores, or tooth sensitivity, and they don’t offer any benefit over non-alcohol-based rinses. Fluoride can help protect you from cavities and strengthen your enamel, especially if your drinking water isn’t already fluoridated or you are at high-risk for tooth decay. If you want a natural mouthwash, look for menthol, eucalyptus, and/or aloe vera.
Avoid the following ingredients in large amounts because they are dangerous to ingest: chlorhexidine gluconate, ethanol (ethyl alcohol), hydrogen peroxide, and methyl salicylate. FAQsWhat is the purpose of a mouthwash?Mouthwash is a nice-to-have addition to your daily oral health routine of brushing and flossing. Mouthwash is formulated to help reduce bacteria, eliminate plaque, and minimize future plaque build-up.
Dr. Devore says that it’s effective enough at reducing bacteria that you should add mouthwash to your routine — but it definitely shouldn’t replace brushing or flossing. Should I rinse after using mouthwash?Dr.
Lewis explains that not only is it unnecessary to rinse after using a mouthwash, it’s actually not a good idea. It can wash away some of the beneficial ingredients for your teeth. Instead, just swish the mouthwash around for the recommended time and spit out the excess.
Can you use mouthwash every day?Yes, you can use it every day unless directed otherwise by your dentist, according to Dr. Lewis. And because mouthwash helps to reduce the bacteria in your mouth, it’s definitely a good idea for most people to use the gargle every day.
Should you use mouthwash before or after brushing?Either is fine. Our experts explain that it doesn’t impact mouthwash’s effectiveness one way or another. However, Dr.
Lewis said she personally chooses to do it after brushing and flossing to help wash away any dislodged particulars from the cleaning process. Check out more Insider Reviews oral health guides9dreamstudio/Getty Images, InsiderThe best toothbrushesThe best electric toothbrushesThe best toothpasteThe best whitening toothpasteThe best teeth whitening kitsThe best dental flossRead the original article on Insider.
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