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Daily mouthwash vs. regular dental checkups for keeping your mouth healthy?
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Curious what folks think works better for keeping oral cancer risks down - swishing mouthwash every day or sticking to those twice-a-year dentist visits? I’ve always been a mouthwash person (minty fresh, can’t beat it), but my partner swears by never missing a cleaning. Anyone feel like one actually makes more of a difference, or is it just a combo thing?
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I get super anxious about missing cleanings, honestly.
- same here, but I still use mouthwash every night just in case. Does anyone worry about alcohol-based rinses being too harsh, though? I read they might even irritate things more.“my partner swears by never missing a cleaning”
Alcohol mouthwash totally torched my gums when I first got braces. I switched to an alcohol-free one and it’s way less harsh - plus, no burning sensation, which is a win. Still paranoid about missing a cleaning, though... my ortho would probably haunt me.
We had a similar thing happen with my kid - those alcohol mouthwashes were just too much. But honestly, does anyone else wonder if mouthwash is really all that necessary every single day, especially with braces? I mean, we focus way more on making sure brushing and flossing are solid, and then stick to the regular ortho visits. Haven’t noticed any issues so far... Am I missing something by not pushing daily mouthwash?
I hear you on the braces thing - my niece basically turned mouthwash into a sport and still ended up with cavities between wires. Honestly, I’m all about that “minty blast,” but my dentist keeps telling me nothing beats a pro poking around every six months. Maybe mouthwash is more of a bonus round than a main event?
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