You brush, floss and clean your tongue on a regular basis but do you know that using mouthwash is also necessary? It acts as an extra layer of protection for your mouth and can help you to keep the following oral health issues at bay:
- Plaque
- Decay
- Gingivitis
- Gum problems and
- Bad breath
While buying mouthwash from a departmental store, people often fail to notice the ingredients in the product. Often dentist Tampa tells patients to use non-alcohol-based mouthwash for several reasons. Before discussing those reasons, let’s take a detailed but brief look into each type of mouthwash:
Mouthwash with alcohol
As the name suggests, these mouthwashes are made with alcohol as an active ingredient. It generally causes a burning sensation in the gums and at the back of your throat when you use it for gargling.
Mouthwash without alcohol
These mouthwashes are made without alcohol as an active ingredient. It is comparatively gentle to your gums and your mouth. No burning sensation is felt while gargling and the best part, they cost much less.
Now let us take a look at some reasons why you should stay away from alcohol based mouthwash:
Alcohol-based mouthwash is indirectly responsible for causing oral cancer
Several independent and sponsored studies have time and again proved that alcohol-based mouthwash increases one’s chances of coming down with oral cancer. The claim still needs a lot of study and concrete proof. The reason for the claim to be put in the paper, in the first place could be due to the product being used maximum by people who drink and smoke. Thereby causing the speculation to be considered as a direct cause.
Alcohol-based mouthwash is bad news for people who suffer from dry mouth condition
If your dentist has warned you that you suffer from dry mouth condition – a situation where the inside of a person’s mouth become parched often, it is best that you use a mouthwash without alcohol. Alcohol-based mouthwash accelerates the dryness in your mouth which can lead to more issues in the future.
Alcohol-based mouthwash kills off even the beneficial bacteria in your mouth
Balance is everything. Taking this point and applying it into this discussion your mouth has both harmful and beneficial microbial life. The harmful bacteria causes all sorts of oral problems but the beneficial ones are responsible for keeping everything in order. Alcohol-based mouthwash kills both types which leave you vulnerable as you lost the protection of good bacteria. Alcohol-free mouthwash simply gets rid of the problem causing microbial life leaving only those that are beneficial for your health.
Apart from the three reasons why one shouldn’t use alcohol-based mouthwash, here is another alarming reason to steer clear of this category of products. It can cause a relapse in people who have had a history of alcohol abuse. The alcohol in the mouthwash can even cause an individual who has been sober for some time to become dependent on the product and abuse it. To sum it up, it is best to keep away from mouthwash with alcohol at all costs.
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