Mouthwash Is Killing Your Oral Health & Causing Tooth Decay!
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We’re lucky to have free healthcare in the UK, meaning that things like doctor’s appointments and other treatments don’t cost a penny. The amount we can save every year because of this is astounding and I don’t think we truly appreciate the beauty of the NHS.
Unfortunately, there are areas of healthcare that aren’t free. For example, you still have to pay for oral healthcare on the NHS. Even worse, paying for things like fillings and other treatments can be super expensive. This is why it’s really important to take care of your mouth and avoid suffering from oral health problems. It’s great for your general well-being, but it’s also brilliant for your budget! While the UK provides free healthcare for many services, oral healthcare remains an exception, requiring payment for treatments like fillings. Navigating this aspect highlights the importance of finding an affordable dentist in Madison Heights MI, ensuring not only optimal oral health for general well-being but also a budget-friendly approach to dental care.
So, it pays to understand some things you might be guilty of that could increase your chance of tooth decay and costly dental procedures. Yes, you might not believe this, but using mouthwash is one of the bad habits you should get out of. This isn’t clickbait of sensationalism – it’s genuinely true, and I’ll explain how and why.
Mouthwash can leave your teeth unprotected before bed
When are you likely to use mouthwash? If you follow the instructions on the back of a bottle, you’ll use it after brushing.
This is a terrible thing to do! Go to your local dental clinic and tell your dentist that you use mouthwash every night after brushing your teeth. Give them a chance to get back to their feet after fainting and they will explain why this is extremely bad for your teeth.
You see, when brushing, you are doing two things:
- Removing debris from your teeth
- Coating your teeth in fluoride
Fluoride should be present in all toothpaste as it protects your teeth from sugars and other harmful things that cause decay. Brushing before bed ensures that your teeth are nicely protected while you sleep. So, why is it bad to use mouthwash after this?
Firstly, here are some instructions I found on the back of a standard bottle of mouthwash:
- Rinse your mouth out thoroughly with water
- Pour mouthwash into a glass and rinse around your mouth
- Spit out the mouthwash into the sink
If you do this after brushing your teeth, you are basically rinsing away all the fluoride that’s there to protect them. The fact you rinse your mouth out twice means there’s very little chance that your teeth have adequate protection when you go to sleep. This makes them prone to tooth decay and can increase your chances of costly oral health problems.
What about fluoride mouthwash, is this okay?
Sure, some mouthwash includes fluoride, but this still isn’t okay to use after brushing your teeth. It won’t provide as high a concentration of fluoride as you get from toothpaste, and it also won’t adhere to your teeth as effectively.
The problem isn’t as severe if you use mouthwash after brushing in the morning. You see, when you sleep, your mouth produces less saliva, so your teeth aren’t getting their usual protection. That’s why it is critical to brush before bed so the fluoride from your toothpaste forms a protective barrier.
So, is mouthwash bad for you?
No!
Okay, this will probably confuse you after I just ranted about the perils of using mouthwash. In truth, mouthwash isn’t necessarily bad – it depends on when you use it. If you use mouthwash during the day, say, after a meal, it can be fantastically beneficially. Here, rinsing your mouth out will get rid of some food particles and neutralise acids in your mouth, offering some protection from tooth decay.
The difference is that you aren’t washing away all the protection that your toothpaste gives you. Mouthwash is not as effective as toothpaste, but it can clean your teeth, freshen your breath and offer a small layer of protection during the day. It’s all about learning when you should or shouldn’t use this product.
Is it weird that the instructions on mouthwash explicitly tell you to use it AFTER brushing? Well, yeah, it is. In fact, it’s quite confusing as to why this is still the case given that many dentists and dental professionals have come out explaining why this is awful.
So, to sum everything up, using mouthwash before bed after brushing your teeth is a terrible decision. It can kill your oral health, cause tooth decay and lead to loads of expensive dental treatments. You have enough stress in your life already; there’s no need to add the financial dismay of dental treatments to the pile! If you want to use mouthwash, use it during the day after a meal to freshen things up.
