You know that brushing your teeth twice each day and flossing daily are crucial components of your oral hygiene routine. When you complete this at-home regimen and visit your dentist for regular teeth cleanings, you can keep your mouth clean and healthy.
But you can improve this preventative dental care by rinsing with mouthwash, too. This tool can keep dental problems at bay and make sure your smile looks and feels its best. Read on to learn about the benefits you can notice in your smile when you add mouthwash to your routine.
Why Should I Use Mouthwash?
Boost Your Oral Hygiene
Though you may practice diligent oral hygiene at home, you still consume substances that contribute to plaque formation throughout your day. Plaque can harm your teeth if it lingers during these periods between teeth brushing.
If you rinse with mouthwash, especially after a meal, you can get rid of food particles before they have a chance to develop plaque. Therefore, you can make sure your teeth stay cleaner and healthier. You can better preserve the natural structure of your teeth this way.
Mouthwash will also eliminate food particles from your teeth that could form bad breath. Your mouth will feel fresher when you include mouthwash in your routine.
Prevent Gum Disease
Gum disease affects approximately half of American adults. Though it is prominent, this infection of the gum tissue can cause significant damage to your smile. It hurts the gums and spreads deep into the tooth root and jaw, potentially resulting in tooth loss.
Choosing an antibacterial mouthwash can lower your chances of contracting this disease. It balances the natural bacteria in your mouth, making it less likely that they will be in excess and travel to the gums.
In combination with a good oral hygiene routine, you can protect your gums as well as the look and feel of your smile. This type of mouthwash can also reduce existing periodontal symptoms. But you will need treatment from a dentist to get rid of gum disease for good.
Strengthen Your Teeth
Your teeth have a protective outer layer called enamel. Though durable, enamel may wear down over time, sometimes due to factors outside an individual’s control, like aging. Once gone, your enamel will not regrow.
But you can add extra fortification to your tooth enamel by rinsing with a mouthwash that contains fluoride. Fluoride will absorb into the teeth and provide natural strengthening.
This can make your teeth better able to resist damage from plaque and other dental dangers. You can then lower your risk of forming cavities when used alongside your proper oral hygiene regimen.
Your dentist can treat cavities easily, but it is better to maintain as much of your natural teeth as you can. Ask your dentist during your next appointment about other ways that mouthwash can enhance your oral health. They can also suggest further preventative dentistry tips that you can do at home.