The Truth About Mouthwash

Have you ever wondered what goes on when you use a mouthwash? Some people believe that what one product does, they all do, with possibly some variances in taste being the main difference between them. The truth is they have a point here. Many people are surprised to learn that most mouthwash products use the same ingredients, with some minor changes to affect taste and color.

Mint mouthwash is a popular choice today, as well as Listerine mouthwash. People will often buy Listerine because they believe, or have been told, that the ingredients in this product are powerful and effective. Anyone who has had a taste of Listerine would certainly agree that it is powerful, too powerful for many people.

Some other common brands that are on the market today include:

• Scope Mouthwash
• Crest Pro Health Mouthwash
• Magic Mouthwash
• And a host of other brands

One ingredient that you will find in many brands of mouthwash is alcohol. This is the ingredient that is used to kill bacteria and it is bacteria which causes most bad breath problems. Research has shown time and again that when certain bacteria release certain by-products (usually in the form of sulfur compounds) we end up with an episode of bad breath. This being the case, you would think that alcohol would be a good thing, right>

The answer to that questions is no. The bacteria that causes bad breath, also known as halitosis, will thrive best when it is in an environment that has less oxygen. Saliva is rich in oxygen and therefore the bacteria are held in check to some degree. By using mouthwash that contains alcohol we set ourselves up for dehydration which leads to less oxygen which leads to more odor-producing bacteria being produced. In other words, the more alcohol you put into your mouth, even in the form of mouthwash, the more likely you are to increase your odds of having bad breath.

Yes, you will kill germs on contact, but once the mouthwash is gone, the bacteria will return, and in many cases, return stronger than before.

The answer to this problem is to use a product, such as OraMD®, that has no alcohol in it. Non-alcohol based mouth wash products are also much safer for children and elderly people. These products are usually much easier on the taste buds as well. But most importantly, they inhibit the new growth of bacteria that causes the bad breath that we all wish to avoid.