I've been using alcohol-free rinses for about a year now, and honestly, I think they're worth it. I switched after my dentist mentioned the drying effect of alcohol-based ones too. At first, I thought it was just another trendy dental thing, but after a couple weeks, I noticed my mouth felt less irritated, especially in the mornings. Before that, I'd wake up feeling like I'd slept with cotton balls in my mouth—super uncomfortable.
Funny enough, I also tried the whole "drink water before bed" trick, but yeah... the midnight bathroom trips got old fast. Now I just keep a glass of water by my bed and take small sips if I wake up feeling dry. Seems to strike a decent balance without interrupting sleep too much.
Totally agree about the alcohol-free rinses—I switched recently too and noticed a similar improvement. Honestly, I was skeptical at first because I tend to worry about trying new dental stuff (always paranoid it'll make things worse...), but my mouth definitely feels less dry now. Also, vaping made my dryness way worse, especially overnight. Cutting back on vaping helped a bit, but pairing that with the alcohol-free rinse was the real game changer for me.
I was pretty skeptical about alcohol-free rinses too, mostly because I tend to overthink dental products (occupational hazard, I guess...). But honestly, switching made a noticeable difference for me as well. About vaping—I've seen firsthand how it can really dry out your mouth and even irritate gums. I vape occasionally myself, and even though I know better, it's tough to quit completely. Cutting back definitely helps, but pairing that with the right rinse is key. Glad it's working out for you too.
"Cutting back definitely helps, but pairing that with the right rinse is key."
Totally agree with this. I switched to an alcohol-free rinse a while back and noticed my gums felt way less irritated, especially after vaping sessions. Still struggling to quit vaping entirely though... it's tougher than I expected. Curious if anyone's dentist recommended specific toothpastes or gels to help with dryness or sensitivity from vaping? Mine hasn't mentioned anything yet.
My dentist didn't suggest anything specific either, but I stumbled onto a sensitivity toothpaste by accident (grabbed the wrong tube at CVS lol). Surprisingly, it helped a lot with dryness after vaping sessions...so maybe give one of those a shot? Can't hurt to try.
