Bad Breath Remedy

Mouthrinses have been an important part of oral health for nearly 100 years as a part of the unending search for a good breath remedy. The need for mouthwash is a result of a condition called halitosis or bad breath. It is estimated that over half the population occasionally has foul-smelling breath. Bad breath is mostly due to bacterial activity in an unclean mouth.

Myth 1: Mouthrinse needs to contain alcohol to be good because it means it's killing germs. Burning mouthrinse is a warning sign. Burning the tissues of your mouth can be very harmful. And not just for your tissues, but for your dental work as well. The alcohol content in some rinses (nearly 30%) is not only responsible for the burn, it also causes dryness to the tissues in the mouth. This can place an individual at risk for an increase in bone loss, increase in the risk of oral cancer (for smokers), increase in halitosis or bad breath and cause discomfort in the mouth and even compromise the integrity of composite, bonding (or tooth colored) filling materials.

Myth 2: A mouthwash must taste bad to be effective. This is an old myth and totally untrue. It's time to move on and understand that there are now great tasting options in mouthrinse that have excellent cosmetic and therapeutic benefits as well as great value. Hating your mouthrinse is no longer necessary.

Myth 3: All mouthrinses eliminate bad breath. Unfortunately, most mouthrinses only contain strong flavorings that may mask bad breath temporarily and do not address the source. Also, mouthrinses that contain alcohol may dry the tissues and mouth, encouraging more odor-causing bacteria to accumulate, thereby worsening the condition. The truth is, only specialized mouthrinses that contain an effective ingredient to neutralize odor-causing bacteria produce the best results to stop bad breath.

Mouthrinses are not all created equal. There are growing options in home care products that serve a variety of consumer wants and needs. Many mouthrinses are now answering to the demand of the consumer and offer specialized ingredients such as aloe vera, fluoride, Xylitol and zinc. Some are alcohol-free and dye-free. A mouthrinse does not have to taste bad or contain alcohol to be an effective breath remedy.