Why Mouthwashes Are Important for General Health and Infection Prevention?
Your oral health affects your overall wellness. By taking care of your mouth, gums, and teeth, you’ll also be taking care of your body.
That’s why it’s so important to have a good dental routine—it can protect you from more than just cavities. For one thing, you want to brush and floss every day.
Mouthwashes are great as well. What’s more, is that they’re easy to use. Basically, all you have to do is swish it in your mouth for a certain period of time.
Want to learn more about how they can benefit your health? If so, you’re on the right page. Keep reading to learn more!
What Are Mouthwashes?
Mouthwash, also called mouth rinse, is a solution that’s used to clean your teeth, gums, and mouth. Generally speaking, they contain antiseptics such as chlorhexidine, alcohol, or cetylpyridinium chloride, which allows it to kill germs.
While it doesn’t replace brushing or flossing, it can be an effective way to improve your overall health.
How Infections Spread
Bacteria and viruses typically enter the body through the mouth and nose. As they invade, they contaminate mucosal surfaces—tissues that normally prevent pathogens from entering.
Eventually, the infection will spread and infect other parts of the body. Fortunately, this process can be prevented with proper dental care.
How Mouthwashes Prevent Infections
Gargling mouthwash can prevent the spread of infections. It does this by inactivating viruses and killing bacteria in hard-to-reach places in the mouth.
That way, there will be a lower chance of them entering through the mucosal cells. In other words, you’ll be less likely to get sick.
Don’t forget, they can benefit your teeth and gums as well. Given all that, there’s really no reason not to make it part of your daily oral care routine.
Picking the Right Mouthwash
Not all mouthwashes are the same; some are better than others. At the end of the day, it all boils down to the ingredients.
As far as bacterial and viral infections go, you want to look for something that contains these ingredients—Citrox, chlorhexidine, cyclodextrins, polymers, and hyaluronic acid.
Citrox: A natural bioflavonoid that’s capable of breaking down bacterial biofilm and plaque.
Chlorhexidine: An antiseptic with powerful antibacterial properties that allows it to fight off germs.
Cyclodextrins: Compounds that are capable of inactivating viral particles by disrupting their outer shells.
Polymers: Bioadhesive polymers that create a protective film, which makes the mouthwash more effective.
Hyaluronic Acid: A substance that moistens and humidifies the mucosal tissues.
As you can see, each ingredient does its own part in preventing infections.
Improving Your Health With Mouthwash
As you can see, mouthwashes can benefit your health in more than one way. Not only are they great at preventing cavities and gum disease, but they can also protect you against viral and bacterial infections.
Looking for a dentist in the Bondi Junction area? The Bondi dentists are here to help! Feel free to contact us to book an appointment.