Go down any toothpaste aisle and you are sure to see plenty of mouthwash selections that claim to boost your oral health…but do they? While there are certainly specific recommendations that may help oral conditions such as fluoride rinses to reduce cavity risk, and prescriptions rinses for fungal overgrowths, do we really need to use mouthwash every day?
Studies have shown that chlorhexidine mouthwash when used daily can increase the risk of altering the mouths natural oral microbiome, increase the acid levels of saliva and can even increase the risk of cavities. The latest research has even made associations between daily use of chlorhexidine mouth rinse and its negative effects on cardiovascular health.
Alcohol based mouthwashes are also known to be highly acidic. Rinsing with something so acidic can lower the pH levels in your mouth and may be damaging the outer layer of your teeth, also known as enamel. When the environment in our mouth becomes acidic, our teeth are more at risk for breakdown and damage. Rinsing daily with a mouthwash that is acidic may not be the best choice for daily and long-term oral health maintenance. Mouthwashes containing alcohol can also irritate our oral tissues and have the potential to cause canker sores and in rare cases, oral cancer.
Mouthwash has also been shown to significantly impact our oral microbiome. In other words, it can throw off the healthy bacterial levels in our mouths. While many mouthwashes aim to reduce disease causing bacteria that can be harmful, that same mouthwash can also destroy our “good” germs that naturally helps balance our oral health environment.
When deciding which mouthwash to buy and whether or not you should use it, talk to your dental provider. Your smile will thank you!