Many people get confused or hung up on mouthwash. Is it necessary? What kind of mouthwash is best? How frequently should I use it? Like almost everything in life, there isn't one right answer. Best practices will vary from person to person.
Choosing the Right Mouthwash for You
The main question to consider is: what is the intended purpose of using mouthwash? Is it to freshen your breath, reduce bacterial load and inflammation, balance oral pH, or just hydrate and support the mouth's soft tissues? Once you have determined the purpose of using mouthwash, you can better choose the one that’s right for you.
Brio Mouthwash
As a general rule, avoid harsh and dry mouthwashes, as well as overly antimicrobial. Think alcohol-based ACT or Listerine. While bacterial reduction may be an appropriate use-case for mouthwash, we want to shift our thinking from killing all the bugs to supporting the good bacteria and decreasing the bad ones—the same as we do for our gut flora.
If bacterial overgrowth, bad breath, and inflammation are issues, consider using BrioCare Oral Swish by Briotech. It uses a combination of saline and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) to kill bacteria. The ingredients are simple, safe, and effective. Hypochlorous acid is similar to bleach, yet some key differences render it non-toxic or caustic to skin cells. It tastes like pool water, so you know it’s working! I’ve seen excellent results when people swish with it morning and night.
RiseWell Mouthwash
If inflammation is not an issue and you want to freshen your breath and promote good pH balance, look for a mouthwash with simple, non-toxic ingredients with a minty flavor and a pH-balancing effect. Simple, natural ingredients help minimize potential adverse reactions, and a well-balanced pH environment helps to strengthen enamel and promote fresh breath as a result of a healthy bacterial population. An option to consider is Risewell’s Balancing Mouthwash - it has a great minty flavor, contains no harmful chemicals like SLS or propylene glycol, and helps to balance oral pH!
Oil Pulling
Another option to consider is “oil pulling,” which has been used for thousands of years. It’s very simple in concept and practice. About a tablespoon of oil is swished in the mouth for 10–15 minutes to help reduce bacteria and inflammation.
Coconut oil seems to be the top choice due to its pleasant flavor and lauric acid content, which has antimicrobial properties. As the oil swishes around the mouth, the bacteria get “pulled” into the oil and rinsed away. Some scientific evidence supports claims of bacterial reduction, decreased inflammation, and fresher breath. Pro tip—spit the oil out in the trash vs the sink to avoid potentially clogging your pipes!
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19336860/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25838632/
Saline (Salt Water)
If all that sounds too fancy and you'd like a simple option to rinse, consider homemade saline (salt water). At 0.9% concentration, saline is perfectly isotonic, preventing harsh interactions with the oral tissues. It also has a mildly salty taste and can effectively decrease plaque and soothe gum tissue.
Dissolve 0.9g of kosher salt in 100ml of water (or 9g per liter for a larger batch) to achieve this concentration. For reference, two teaspoons of kosher salt is about 10 grams. Hypertonic saline solution is a little more potent and can have a greater antimicrobial effect. One tablespoon of kosher salt dissolved in 2–4 cups of water is a good ratio to shoot for. If you use this solution for sinus rinsing, use four cups of water per tablespoon and distilled water for safety!
In summary, when choosing a mouthwash, consider your needs and choose products with simple, natural, and safe ingredients for best results!