Mouthwashes And Fluoride Mouth Rinses

Dr. Aryan, San Diego dentist explains that mouthwash and fluoride mouth rinse are two different products.

Mouthwash freshens breath but does nothing to clean teeth. Most mouthwashes contain alcohol and are not appropriate for children younger than 6 years old. This is because young children can easily swallow the mouthwash. If your child has chronic bad breath, he or she should see a doctor. It could be caused by a health problem.

Fluoride mouth rinse coats teeth with fluoride, which helps to prevent cavities. You should check with your child’s dentist or dental hygienist to determine if your child needs to use a fluoride mouth rinse. It is typically used once or twice a day by children who are cavity prone, even if the child has only one area of decay. Children as young as 7 years old can use a fluoride rinse, if they know how to spit out a liquid without swallowing it. You can test your child to see if he or she is ready.

Give our child a half-cup of water. Ask to put some of the water in his or her mouth, swish it around and spit it out into a second cup. If there is a half cup of water in the second cup, your child probably can spit out the mouth rinse.

You should still supervise your child to make sure the rinse does not get swallowed.

If you have any questions about mouthwashes and mouth rinses, or have other questions related to tooth care, don’t hesitate to ask your San Diego dentist.