Our Mill Valley Family Dentists Talks About Using Mouthwash To Improve Dental Health

Written by Dr. McConnell on Apr 19, 2022

So, you’re brushing and flossing regularly, but you’re wondering if there is something more you can be doing to support a healthy and attractive smile. Our Mill Valley dentists encourage you to consider adding a mouth rinse into your routine. Rinsing your smile delivers a number of benefits…

Disrupt Plaque 

The first benefit of using a mouthrinse is perhaps the most obvious: by vigorously swishing even plain water around your mouth you can disrupt and remove accumulated plaque and dental debris. This is why it’s such a good idea to get into the habit of rinsing your mouth after you eat or drink anything other than water. You want to minimize the amount of time that bacteria are able to feed on dental debris. 

Encourage Saliva

The physical act of rinsing your smile also promotes natural saliva production. Saliva is an essential component of maintaining a healthy smile. Saliva helps to remineralize dental enamel, so that harmful oral bacteria cannot infiltrate your teeth and cause cavities. You’ll also want to drink plenty of water throughout the day in order to encourage saliva.

Ingredients

Additionally, there are a number of commonly used ingredients that improve the efficacy of mouthrinse. Cosmetic rinses may contain temporary breath-freshening ingredients, which mask unpleasant odors. Therapeutic formulations include ingredients like fluoride, peroxide, chlorhexidine, and cetylpyridinium chloride, which actually help to strengthen enamel, kill bacteria, and minimize discoloration.

If you have more questions about steps you can take to safeguard your smile, our Mill Valley dentists are here to help you. Together we can craft an oral hygiene plan that meets your specific needs, and delivers real results!