Mouthwash: The Good, the Bad, the Irrelevant

You might have noticed that your family dentist is strict about brushing and flossing every day, but largely silent on the mouthwash front. Or that when you go to a friend’s house, it’s weird when their brush-and-floss schedule differs from yours, but not if their mouthwash routine does. So what’s the deal with the inconsistencies? Do we really need mouthwash? And who decided?

Origins of the Mouthwash Habit

Per usual, the Romans were among the first to thoroughly record their daily dental care habits in the 1^st century CE. They used a mouth rinse of urine. Urine mouthwash actually became an international commodity – the Romans had it shipped all the way from Portugal, and Nero taxed the trade in his time as emperor. Urine was a mainstream mouthwash through the 18^th century. Really.

Even more unsettling, we know in the 1^st century Romans were also using turtle blood as a seasonal mouth rinse to prevent toothaches. Yet still, in true Ancient Roman form, wine was always a mouth-swishing option as well.

Throughout the centuries, some people (naturally) thought, Hey – might something other than human urine make a good mouthwash? And so –

• 12^th century: Saint Hildegard von Bingen, a German philosopher, advises that swishing cold, clean water daily reduces buildup of plaque and tartar on the teeth.
• 16^th century: A popular practice of mouth rinsing with a mint and vinegar solution as a part of daily dental care was thought to correct halitosis and kill bacteria.
• 18^th century: Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Father of Microbiology, first discovers oral bacteria, then discovers that it can be killed by ammonia and/or alcohol solutions. This is when alcohol entered the mainstream mouthwash market.

Listerine Began as a Surgical Anesthetic

The 19^th century brought with it the advent of Germ Theory by Louis Pasteur. It changed the way people understood infection and illness, and spurred the development of antiseptics for wound sterilization and surgeries.

Joseph Lister, a British surgeon, was the first doctor to perform a surgery sterilized with antiseptic. He and the rest of the medical community watched his patient mortality rates plummet, and by the start of the 20^th century use of antiseptics became standard surgical sterilization practice.

This spurred the creation of Johnson & Johnson, which allowed the field of surgical sterilization to progress quickly. In 1895, their first antiseptic mouthwash, Listerine, showed dentists the potential dental health benefits of mouthwash. Listerine became available over-the-counter in 1914.

What Kinds of Mouthwash Are There?

Not a lot has changed since then, except that now there are several name brands and dozens of kinds of mouthwash to choose from. Most are over-the-counter, but there are some you can only get with a prescription from your family dentist.

Cosmetic mouthwashes:

• Cosmetic mouthwashes are designed purely to freshen breath or whiten teeth. They typically have no antiseptic ingredients like alcohol.
• Natural mouthwashes are designed with essential oils and herbs and are swished in a certain way to experience their benefits.

Therapeutic mouthwashes:

• Fluoride mouthwashes are designed to boost your mouth’s ability to fight plaque buildup as well as restore weakened enamel.
• Antiseptic mouthwashes are meant to kill infections like mouth sores and correct other bacteria-induced issues like chronic bad breath.
• Mouthwashes with alcohol are used in tandem with brushing and flossing to remove debris and sanitize your mouth.
• Mouthwashes without alcohol are an alternative to those with alcohol; they use another safe antimicrobial ingredient so your mouth gets sanitized without the burning taste.

Do Dentists Recommend Mouthwash?

Okay – so do dentists recommend mouthwash or not? And, like, every day or just some days?

For the most part, yes, using a mouthwash as a part of your dental care routine is a good idea. Regular use of antiseptic mouthwash reduces tooth sensitivity and toothaches, reduces risk of gum disease, protects your enamel, and prevents halitosis. Patients who have just had a dental procedure done, mouth sores, or dry socket can utilize special therapeutic mouthwashes to protect the healing of their teeth and gums.

If you’re brushing and flossing properly, you don’t necessarily need to use mouthwash, but it’s definitely not going to hurt to start swishing each time you brush!