What is really the best type of mouthwash to use?

[Patti]

I'm in the boat I'm in primarily because my parents never took me to a dentist, so obviously nobody taught me the correct way to brush or anything. I must have had a few good habits since my teeth are still good at the age of 49 but I'd like to learn more. Bring on all the good tips, please! The more preventative medicine the better!

And thanks Gordon! Ive started leaving the toothpaste on at night while I sleep.

 

[FearfulInMA]

I also feel like there's a lot of stuff I was never taught. Last time I went to the dentist he told me I should be flossing BEFORE I brush -- who knew??? I felt like such an idiot!

 

[Patti]

Hmmm... Well don't feel bad. Thats the first time Ive heard that!

 

[Gordon]

I did a very unscientific poll of dentists on brush/floss priority and got about 50% each way, I don't think it matters at all.

Google Childsmile and see how hard we're working in Scotland to try to educate our kids away from cavities. It's a serious bit of work. The results are pretty good so far though.

 

[Pianimo]

I did a very unscientific poll of dentists on brush/floss priority and got about 50% each way, I don't think it matters at all.

I remember both reading and being told that it was something different dentists either didn't agree on, or just didn't have an opinion either way!

Which leads me to a question... I was told always to spit and rinse after flossing as it was bad for you to swallow the stuff you'd 'unearthed'. I always floss after brushing, a la my hygienist's method, but if I brush-->floss-->rinse then I've inevitaly ended up breaking the 'no rinsing after brushing' rule! Any way round this??

I do remember years ago an old housemate used to brush-->rinse-->rub toothpaste on her teeth (which she said her dentist advised but at the time I thought was really weird!). I guess that's an alternative plan?

 

[FearfulInMA]

Pianimo -- I think that my dentist's way around the no-rinse-after-brushing rule is floss-rinse-brush. Hence the flossing before brushing.

 

[FrightenedJerk]

I did a very unscientific poll of dentists on brush/floss priority and got about 50% each way, I don't think it matters at all.

Google Childsmile and see how hard we're working in Scotland to try to educate our kids away from cavities. It's a serious bit of work. The results are pretty good so far though.

Do any statistics exist about the frequency of cavities, as in what percentage of an adult population in x country has at least one cavity? When I hear of an adult never having had a cavity, I'm shocked.

 

[littlestar88]

If you want to rub something on your teeth after brushing and flossing my dentist reccommended I try toothmousse. They said for me to use it because I'm getting braces so have to be extra careful about demineralisation but it tastes much better than toothpaste to rub on your teeth. Comes in so many flavours! I think I'll keep using it even after the braces come off.

Plus I'm an adult with no cavities despite my dental avoidance, so its possible. My sister and best friend also have no cavities, guess we lived in a good area for flouride! I wonder how old the oldest patient a dentist treated who had no cavities, was?

 

[FrightenedJerk]

"littlestar88" -- Is it possible that you, your sister and friend were also very cognizant of your sugar intake, aside from fluoridated water? If I could go back in time, I'd change a lot of things, but one definitely would be my candy and pop consumption. It's only been in the last few years that it's really hit home how much damage they can do. Just five or six years ago I was guzzling a couple quarts of pop a week, and not caring about the effects.

 

[littlestar88]

True - never really had fizzy drinks in the house all that much as a child but there were always sweets and chocolate biscuits. And even though my brushing technique isn't perfect I was made to brush twice a day which helped I guess. I do remember that generally my sister and I would brush our teeth 3 times on the day of a dental check-up and go get a cake from the bakery next to the dentist after the check-up was over! It does seem to be luck in some cases because I have other friends with similar diets who brushed their teeth and had loads of cavities.

 

[Gordon]

There's lots of stats on decay rates out there. Try googling. I took part in the Adult Dental Health Survey for Scotland back about 2000. It wasn't very exciting me and a statistician from the Govt went to people's homes and I charted how many teeth they had and fillings present etc.

These days it works out about 70% of the disease is in the poorest 30% of children, dental decay is very much linked to poverty I'm afraid.

 

[jaime]

So the proper procedure is to floss, rinse with water, and then brush with a minimal amount of fluoride toothpaste. No rinsing after. And mouthwash can be more harmful than helpful, so it isn't usually necessary. Gee, I've been doing it all wrong the past couple of months. This thread has been such an eye-opener. Thanks!

 

[carole]

Hi jaime, the cleaning of the teeth and mouth is driving me crackers at the moment, the more I learn and the more opinions I get, the more confusing it becomes, I always listen to what Gordon has to say and I trust his and the other dentists opinions and advice that they give on her, but I sometimes yearn for the days when we just went to the dentist and they did what they do and we were told to brush twice a day, and not to eat too many sweets, and that was it, job done.

Now it is all flossing, interdental brushes, elec brushes and waterpik's, and anything else that is out there. I have recently been told to use mouth wash either alcohol free or not mid day, but not when I have brushed.

So brush twice a day with elec tooth brush no rinsing, pea size bit of toothpaste, pushed well into the bristles
floss sometime in the day I do it every time after eating when I am at home, use interdental brushes if you want.
Dinner or Lunch time rinse with mouth wash.
Before going to bed brush your teeth again no rinsing, pea size bit of toothpaste, as above
Waterpik if you have the time and inclination.

So that is what I have been told about mouth wash, so you decide what to do, I told my dentist that if my gums are feeling a bit sore or whatever I use a salt water rinse, but she still said to use mouth wash, I don't know why they keep pumping to use mouth wash, because Gordon has always said it is a waste of time, and I had always been told this as well, I will ask when I go back, but if any dentist on here can tell us why to use mouth wash please educate us as it is all very confusing.

Jaime if you find out let us know as well, I am really curious, maybe at dental schools now they have a deal with the mouth wash dealers and have told all the newbies to push mouthwash.

 

[jaime]

Carole, that's interesting about using the mouthwash after lunch or dinner instead of after brushing. I was just about to stop all mouthwash, but since I've got some left it can't hurt to try this. I never used any mouthwashes until a couple months ago. Been using Closys, Listerine, and ACT. The Listerine I will drop in a heartbeat and just use it to clean my toothbrush instead. That stuff burns like the dickens and dries out my mouth.

 

[littlestar88]

They reccomended I use mouthwash after I eat if I can't brush (if I'm out or something) now I have braces. I have listerine zero (no alcohol) with flouride. I've also heard that you can add mouthwash to a waterpik (great sine I hate the taste of water!) and since you'll be brushing after anyway you don't have to worry about mouthwashing the flouride off your teeth so lots of uses for your left over mouthwash.