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There are a large number of mouthwashes available, with the majority available to buy without prescription. Different active ingredients in mouthwashes serve different functions, and it can be confusing for patients who may seek guidance from their general dental practitioner on which formulation best suits their oral healthcare needs. It is important that patients are given direction by their dentist on the duration they should use a mouthwash for, side effects they may encounter, and where the mouthwash fits in their daily oral hygiene routine.
CPD/Clinical Relevance: Mouthwashes are typically well tolerated, easy to use, and can be a useful addition to a patient's oral healthcare routine.
Article
Mouthwashes are, in the main, easily available and well tolerated by patients. The range of mouthwashes available is continually growing and patients will frequently ask their general dental practitioner for advice on the best mouthwash for their oral health needs. For context, searching the website of a large pharmacy retailer for mouthwash products produced 96 different products.1 Therapeutic mouthwashes are available both over-the-counter and by prescription, depending on the formulation. There are therapeutic mouthwashes that are formulated to reduce dental plaque biofilm, gingivitis, halitosis, caries, and to provide analgesia. There has also been an increase in mouthwashes claiming to whiten teeth, reduce dental hypersensitivity and even reverse dental erosion.
Given the easy availability of mouthwashes, it is a safe assumption that many, if not most, are selected by patients based on their marketing rather than by the recommendation by a dental healthcare professional (Figure 1). This gives rise to the risk of patients selecting a mouthwash that may not be the best option for their oral healthcare needs. Even if an appropriate mouthwash is selected by a patient, there may be incorrect use of mouthwashes in terms of the correct duration of treatment or timing of delivery as part of their home oral hygiene routine.
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