"Has anyone here tried adding mouthwash into their braces routine? Curious if it's worth incorporating regularly or if it's just another extra step that's not really necessary..."
Honestly, mouthwash can be helpful, especially fluoride ones, but I'd be cautious about relying on it too much. I've seen patients who think mouthwash alone can replace thorough brushing and flossing (spoiler: it can't). It might help freshen breath and reduce plaque a bit, but it's definitely not essential. If you're already meticulous with your water flosser and occasional traditional flossing, mouthwash might just be overkill...
I mean, mouthwash isn't a game-changer or anything, but it can be nice to toss in occasionally. When I had braces, I'd use it sometimes after meals if I was out and couldn't brush right away—felt a bit fresher and less paranoid about food stuck everywhere, lol. But yeah, definitely don't ditch the floss or water flosser for it; it's more like a bonus than a necessity...
"mouthwash isn't a game-changer or anything, but it can be nice to toss in occasionally."
Yeah, I see what you're saying, but honestly, mouthwash has been pretty helpful for me. Flossing with braces always felt like a chore, and sometimes I'd slack off (oops). Mouthwash kinda saved me on those lazy days—felt like it at least did something, y'know? I'm curious though, does anyone actually notice a difference between regular mouthwash and the ones specifically marketed for braces? Seems like marketing hype to me...
I totally get the flossing struggle with braces—been there myself. Mouthwash was definitely my go-to backup on lazy nights too. About the special "braces" mouthwash though, I tried one for a couple months and honestly didn't notice any real difference compared to regular stuff. Felt like I was just paying extra for a fancy label...but maybe that's just me. Curious if anyone else had a different experience.
I completely understand your skepticism about the specialized mouthwash. From what I've seen, regular mouthwash usually does the job just fine, provided you're consistent with it. The key is really just maintaining good oral hygiene habits overall—braces or not. But hey, if the special stuff motivates someone to keep up their routine, then maybe it's worth it for them. Either way, you're definitely not alone in feeling like it's mostly marketing hype...
