Rinse with alcohol-free mouthwash or mouthwash with alcohol?

Table of contents


• - Mouthwash with or without alcohol?
• - Is mouthwash with alcohol good or bad?
• - Why some mouthwashes do contain alcohol
• - Disadvantages of mouthwash with alcohol
• - This is how to choose the best non-alcoholic mouthwash for fresh breath

Brushing twice daily is something most people do. And if it’s up to the dentist, flossing we also floss daily and also add mouthwash to our routine to keep our mouth clean for longer, with the added benefit of breath that is fresh for longer. However, not everyone is a fan of mouthwash, with some even abandoning it because they used to dislike the burning sensation contained in alcohol-based mouthwash. Nowadays, there is also alcohol-free mouthwash on the market, but does it work just as well or even better?

Mouthwash with or without alcohol?

Mouthwash helps to gently rinse away food debris and other dirt, so it is ideal after brushing, especially for the places in your mouth that you can’t reach with your toothbrush. It also reduces the number of bacteria in your mouth. These do not like alcohol very much. Buying alcoholic mouthwash then? Better not, because the alcohol also kills the good bacteria and it affects your mouth tissues, drying them out. There are also mouthwash products without alcohol. Like oil pulling. These make your mouth just as clean and fresh without disturbing the natural balance of your oral flora.

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Is mouthwash with alcohol good or bad?

Not even that long ago, almost every dentist and dental hygienist recommended the use of mouthwash, which means that mouthwash with alcohol is not necessarily very bad when used briefly. But why choose that when you can do much better, like alcohol-free! The joys, not the burdens. Why should you choose alcohol? In the long run, your mouth will like it better anyway.

Why some mouthwashes do contain alcohol

If the best mouthwash is alcohol-free, why do manufacturers put it in anyway? As with so many things: it’s cheaper. And as long as we keep using it, they keep producing it. Also, alcohol is used to carry ingredients like eucalyptus, to spread it well throughout the bottle. While these are actually substances that make you feel fresh, but do not contribute at all to actually fighting harmful bacteria and even dry out the mouth.

Disadvantages of mouthwash with alcohol

Alcohol can dry out your mouth, and a dry mouth contains less saliva. This can cause bad breath, and bacteria also reproduce more quickly in it, as well as candida infection. In addition, alcohol affects the mucous membranes in your mouth. This is characterised, among other things, by the burning sensation, but is especially harmful in the long term.

This is how to choose the best non-alcoholic mouthwash for fresh breath

Everyone is different and every mouth has different needs. Therefore, which mouthwash is best for you and your mouth is very personal. Fortunately, there is a wide choice of 0% alcohol mouthwash, for example. Ideally, you should choose a mouthwash with active oxygen, aloe vera and zinc lactate. These ingredients have the same action against bacteria as alcohol, but not its side effects. You can also opt for oil pulling, an ancient Ayrvedic method where you cleanse your mouth by rolling a tablespoon of oil through your mouth for a longer period of time.

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Written by

Kim Schouten

In recent years, she has worked in various areas to improve oral health care for both young and old. Oral care is an essential part of daily care. This is because good oral care is not only important for the mouth, but also for overall health. Therefore, it is very important to create awareness and share knowledge about this.