What mouthwash do you use?

From what I've read, mouthwash doesn't do much unless it has fluoride or it's a special mouthwash for something like gingivitis.

I use Colgate Fluorigard Fluoride Rinse (alcohol free), although not necessarily daily. The most important thing is to brush your teeth properly, and use interdental brushes to remove plaque and sometimes floss.

You should never use mouthwash straight after brushing your teeth, as that simply rinses the fluoride toothpaste away (you shouldn't rinse your mouth with water after brushing, either).

R1 the two he told me to use have fluoride. He also applied fluoride to my teeth and gums directly for $40

“ I found it so weird how specific he was.”

Because he didn’t say that, maybe?

R3 he told me the blue listerine and the green ACT, specifically. And he had an image of them on his computer

R4 Sure he did, we believe you

Dentist - a person qualified to treat the diseases and conditions that affect the teeth and gums, especially the repair and extraction of teeth and the insertion of artificial ones.

R5 what is so hard to believe a DENTIST would recommend a specific mouthwash product to their patient? Maybe your Dentist (if you have one) doesn’t give a fuck about you or your teeth and gums, but I’m thankful I have one who gives me recommendations to keep my gums and teeth healthy. 😊

I use Lavoris.

For the past 30 years, my dentist has told me (and his other patients - some are friends and family of mine) NOT to drink bottled or filtered water all the time. He has suggested I drink more tap water than bottled (which I've always done) because tap has fluoride in it. He has said that over the years, the more and more he has seen patients replacing tap with bottled, the worse he has seen their teeth.

Something to think about for you filtered / bottled water drinkers...

R8 my sister had a long period without dental insurance so she didn’t go. When she finally got a new high paying job that came with full insurance benefits, she got a Dentist and he told her she actually saved her teeth/gums because she drinks so much tap water. He asked her questions and when she said she drinks a lot of tap water he said she saved her gum health by doing so. She hadn’t been to a Dentist in like a decade or more.

He also told her people who drink a lot of tap water have less chance of getting oral cancer.

How does tap water help gums though..

Chanel Nomber 5

" He also told her people who drink a lot of tap water have less chance of getting oral cancer. "

R9 I'd ask the dentist for the research on that

There is a lot of fluoride in tap water. That is good for your gums. Not teeth.

My dentist recommends a high fluoride toothpaste like Fluoridex which is by prescription only, or a slightly less effective high fluoride OTC one like the one from Crest. You only spit, not rinse, at the end. In addition to daily flossing, he also recommends mouthwash half an hour before brushing, twice a day. Blue Listerine is fine. I also rinse with whitening ACT right before bed. No gum disease and my teeth are pretty white despite being a middle age frequent coffee drinker.

Listerine use is of course controversial. It kills virtually ALL the bacteria in your mouth; of that, there's no question. This is why I use it in the morning - it kills all the bacteria accumulated overnight. There's some debate about whether it kills "good" bacteria too and has some tenuous correlations to increased risk of some types of oral cancer, but IMO with how widespread its use is vs how rare oral cancers from all sources are in general compared to other cancers, the risk is negligible compared to the health risks of gum disease and tooth decay.

There's a lot of products on the market right now focused on 'fluoride' because of the increased use of bottled / filtered water over the past 25+ years. Decades ago, fluoride was found in toothpaste, but because we all drank toothpaste we didn't need added 'fluoride' in every oral hygiene product we bought.

^^^^ Meant to say 'we all drank tap water' in the last sentence.

My dentist specifically recommends the purple Listerine. He told me why but I can’t remember. In any case, that’s what I use.

I use blue listerine 2x daily. When I incorporated mouthwash into my oral hygeine routine many years ago the hygienist commented on the difference at my next teeth cleaning. It's effective and so easy. The easiest step in my dental routine.

Does fluoride help with gum recession?

OP, is your dentist hot? Mine is.

R20 yes! He’s also young. I actually think he’s younger than me which makes me feel weird. But he’s a cutie. I wanted to sneak a pic in badly but knew better than to.

R19 no but there are special toothpastes and mouthwashes that have the ingredients that do help.

R17 I always used the purple one but my new Dentist told me that it has too much alcohol in it which is bad for your gums long term. That’s why he said I need to use the blue one. I asked if it’s blue specifically or any of the other colors that aren’t purple, and he said no, blue listerine is the best out of them and has some alcohol but not too much and also has a good amount of fluoride.

He said the green ACT is the best for cavity prevention so I need to use those two. One in the morning and one at night. Just spit out. No water.

Pussies! Use the Dr. -- Dr. Tichenors!

It's often kept behind the pharmacy counter to deter the alcoholics.

Ask for it by name!

I just heard (from more than one dentist) to avoid alcohol in mouthwashes, as it can dry out the mouth. A hygienist also recently recommended that I use a peroxide-based mouthwash 3 times a week.

R24 yes. Which is why the purple listerine is not recommended. It has a lot of alcohol.

The blue has some but not a lot.

My dentist hasn't specifically said anything about mouthwash, though there are always little bottles of some type or another in the gift bags I'm given after a cleaning. He stresses the importance of brushing and flossing, and I've heard other dentists say the latter is the key to keeping your teeth.

Another thing to mention. If you are using a standard toothbrush I recommend considering an electric toothbrush. It made a huge difference with me.

Flossing, brushing for 2 minutes, and rinsing with an anti cavity mouthwash (not necessarily in that order) are the 3 cornerstones of a good dental hygiene routine. And you only need to floss at night.

Alcohol in some mouthwash CAN be irritating for some people, but I've been using mouthwash without issue for decades and yes it does make a difference in both tooth and gum health.

On the other hand, I can't use any dental product with peroxide or baking soda - they both cause contact dermatitis on my lips and around my mouth.

R28, you shouldn't rinse with a mouthwash immediately after brushing because then you're rinsing out all the fluoride from the toothpaste. Interdental brushes are also more effective than floss.

My favourite dental care brand is Curaprox. Their website has plenty of great advice.

I use the purple Listerine but have also used the blue Listerine too. I like the purple best.

R29 not sure where I said you should rinse immediately after brushing but you are correct. It's best to brush and floss at night, then rinse right before bed. In the morning it's best to brush, wait a bit while you get dressed etc, then rinse, and wait at least half an hour before eating.

If I have a canker sore I use Cepacol, which works like a charm. But I don’t like the taste of Cepacol otherwise.

I use semen.

I use Colgate 100

I use the blue Listerine but sometimes dilute it with warm water so that I can swish it longer.

I like blue!

Gaaaaaaaaa. My doctor made me use a speficik antibiologic. Showed me a picture and told me how to take. Very speficik

Me yike blue.

I like mouthwash.