Mouthwash: Effect, Uses & Risks

A fresh and healthy breath is not infrequently regarded in modern society as an essential guarantor of personal success. Moreover, the consistent use of a mouthwash can prevent serious damage to your own teeth.

What is a mouth rinse?

A mouth rinse is always an antiseptic liquid. The germ-reducing liquid is basically applied in the oral cavity. A mouth rinse is always an antiseptic liquid. The germ-reducing liquid is always applied in the oral cavity. Regular use of a reliable mouthwash promises beautiful and healthy teeth in most cases. A mouthwash is divided into one of two different categories, depending on its field of application.

Forms, types and types

In most cases, a cosmetic mouthwash only reduces a minimum of the bacteria present in the mouth. With a cosmetic mouthwash, the aspect of aesthetics is primarily in the foreground. The optical brighteners in the individual mouth rinses are intended to ensure an optimized overall appearance. Since a cosmetic mouth rinse is usually a concentrate, it must be diluted with water by the consumer during use. Unlike a cosmetic mouthwash, a medical mouthwash focuses on fighting bacteria in the oral cavity. A medical mouth rinse is always used when the affected patient already has clinical symptoms. In principle, however, a mouth rinse cannot be used to treat all symptoms and diseases. Insofar as a patient suffers from severe tartar formation, for example, a mouth rinse is not considered a suitable therapeutic procedure.

Structure, composition and function

The composition of a mouthwash basically varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Thus, cosmetic mouthwashes usually have natural ingredients. These include both water and aloe vera. Natural herbs such as sage or chamomile round off the list of ingredients. They usually provide fresh breath. The medical mouthwashes usually have the same ingredients as the cosmetic mouthwashes. In addition, the medicated mouthwashes contain two other important ingredients. For example, both chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride are said to prevent inflammation of the tooth bed. Therefore, some medicated mouthwashes are also used following surgery to aid in the healing process. At the same time, consistent use of a medicated mouthwash can actively strengthen tooth enamel. In order for a medical mouth rinse to fully develop its disinfecting effect, it contains up to 30 percent alcohol, depending on the manufacturer. The alcohol contained in the rinse also has another valuable advantage. The ingredients of the alcohol have a positive effect on the shelf life of a mouth rinse. Since reliable care of the oral cavity should always be a priority, even for children, the individual suppliers of mouth rinses have specialized in the production of alcohol-free preparations. Nevertheless, these preparations can also be used by adults. A particularly high concentration of fluoride is primarily intended to prevent the formation of caries in children.

Medical and health benefits

To date, a medical effect could only be proven for medical mouthwashes. Thus, the primary focus for medical mouthwashes is to fight bacteria. This is the only way to prevent the subsequent formation of plaques. The antibacterial effect of the individual preparations is also accompanied by effective protection against caries. Leading medical experts consider effective protection against caries to be extremely important. In modern medicine, diseased teeth in particular are regarded as a possible cause of the occurrence of heart problems. In addition, diseases such as migraine or diabetes are not infrequently based on poorly maintained teeth. However, a mouthwash should not be considered as a substitute for a thorough cleaning of the teeth. It merely supports the daily cleaning of the teeth with a conventional toothbrush.In addition, sometimes serious side effects may occur during use. Side effects are to be expected whenever there is an intolerance to an ingredient contained in the mouthwash.