Should you use mouthwash after brushing

Do you use mouthwash before or after brushing? When do you use mouthwash do you rinse before or after you brush? Is it best to brush teeth before using mouthwash? Does using mouthwash damage your teeth or gums?

It’s best if you use fluoride-containing mouthwash as well.

It helps protect your teeth from cavities and plaque buildup. One of the hardest questions to answer concerning mouthwash is if you should use it before or after brushing your teeth. Unfortunately there’s no definite answer, because it depends on what you’re aiming for with your mouthwash and how you want it to affect your mouth.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about the use of mouthwash or other rinsing solutions that’s important. Toothpaste, like soap, suds up when it interacts with your teeth and water. If you want less toothpaste slurry in your mouth after you are done brushing , reduce the amount of toothpaste on your brush.

Both are equally effective.

The sequence in which you brush , floss and rinse makes no difference as long as you do a thorough job and use quality products. While it may be temping to freshen up with mouthwash before you brush or floss, generally it is better to finish with mouthwash rather than start with it. The reason has to do with the two primary benefits of rinsing with mouthwash.

Should I use mouthwash ? Choose a different time to use mouthwash , such as after lunch. If you can brush once after every meal–breakfast, lunch, and dinner–you minimize the growth of bacteria in your mouth. But wait an hour after each meal: brushing too soon can cause damage to the enamel of your teeth. Mouthwash is best used at other times in the day, ideally when a toothbrush is not to hand.

Using it more than twice a day can be harmful, so use of this product should be limited. Dentists also advise that you refrain from swallowing mouthwash. It may also be surprising to some but using mouthwash directly after brushing is also bad for our teeth as it also rinses away fluoride,” added Dr Carter. With a fluoride rinse you can use the mouthwash right after brushing your teeth. The other side states that mouthwash does little in the short amount of time to loosen the particles and it is more effective to use after brushing in order to thoroughly rinse and disinfect the mouth after the plaque and particles have been cleared by brushing.

If you use mouthwash after brushing you may also elect to leave residual mouthwash in your mouth by not rinsing your mouth out with water after using mouthwash. Mohinder Sira, dental hygienist at Bupa UK, is here with her recommendations.

Rinsing can be with water, mouthwash or any other liquid. More often than not people rinse with mouthwash after brushing. As is already state it is not advisable to rinse your mouth with mouthwash or any other oral rinse before or after brushing. Do not clean your teeth, floss, use mouthwash, eat food such as toast or crisps just before, or just after, having oral sex. This is because all these can cause small cuts in your mouth, making it easier for infection to pass from one person to another.

I am pro-mouthwash for most people, especially those who suffer from gum disease. Let’s face it: most of us could be doing a better job brushing or flossing (or both), so mouthwash could provide some benefit for most people, depending on the type of mouthwash and the type of dental problems the individual deals with. Once you have chosen your mouthwash , use it once a day before or after brushing , or more often if your dentist instructs you to do so.

See Step to learn more about how to use mouthwash for better dental hygiene.