I've been debating switching to alcohol-free mouthwash myself, mostly because my dentist casually mentioned it last visit and now I'm paranoid, haha. Glad to hear it's helped your sensitivity...might finally give it a shot and spare myself the icy-water cringe.
"might finally give it a shot and spare myself the icy-water cringe."
Haha, oh man, that icy-water cringe is way too relatable. I switched to alcohol-free mouthwash about six months ago after my hygienist mentioned it could help with sensitivity. Honestly didn't expect much, but it's been surprisingly great. Not saying it's a miracle cure or anything, but I definitely don't dread cold drinks quite as much anymore—so that's a win in my book. Plus, no more feeling like my mouth is on fire for those first few seconds after rinsing (seriously, why did we ever think that was normal?). Anyway, totally get the paranoia after a casual dentist comment... they always have a way of making you second-guess your entire dental routine, don't they?
Interesting you mention alcohol-free mouthwash for sensitivity...I've tried it myself, but honestly didn't notice much improvement. Have you considered switching toothpaste instead? I found that using a toothpaste specifically formulated for sensitive teeth made a bigger difference for me. Mouthwash felt nice and all, but I'm not convinced it really tackles the root cause of sensitivity. Might be worth experimenting a bit more before settling on mouthwash alone.
I've had a slightly different experience, actually. While toothpaste for sensitivity definitely helps, I found that pairing it with an alcohol-free mouthwash made a noticeable difference over time. Maybe it's not tackling the root cause directly, but it seems to soothe irritation and reduce flare-ups for me. Could just be individual differences in sensitivity levels or even brand-specific effects... dental care can be pretty personal, after all. Might be worth giving another brand a shot before ruling it out completely.
Totally agree with the alcohol-free mouthwash thing. My kiddo has pretty sensitive gums, and we noticed a big difference when we switched away from the harsher stuff. It didn't fix everything overnight, but it definitely calmed things down after a couple weeks. I was skeptical at first, thinking it was just marketing hype, but honestly, it seems gentler overall.
We also tried switching floss types—went from regular floss to those softer picks with silicone tips. That seemed to help a bit too, especially since my kid was complaining less about discomfort afterward. Still not sure if it's actually better long-term or just feels nicer in the moment...but hey, whatever works, right?
Dental care really does seem super individual. Sometimes I wonder if we're just stumbling around until we find something that clicks for us personally.
