What is The Best Mouthwash for Bad Breath?

Everyone has halitosis, or bad breath, occasionally. One of the common solutions is to use a mint-flavored mouthwash that leaves your mouth feeling cool, fresh, and clean. However, here are so many types of mouthwash available today that choosing the best one for bad breath can be challenging. Find out below what is the best mouthwash for bad breath. 

Because it can be a sign of a more serious problem, you should see your dentist to evaluate chronic bad breath. Schedule an appointment at Trident Dental for a comprehensive oral examination and professional teeth cleaning.

What Causes Bad Breath?

Everyone’s breath is affected by eating foods such as garlic or onions. Besides these foods, there are several other reasons you may have bad breath, such as:

  1. Poor oral hygiene. Plaque constantly forms on your teeth and requires removal twice daily to prevent problems such as cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. Without sufficient brushing and flossing, the bacteria in plaque accumulate and release sulfur compounds that cause bad breath.

  2. Food particles. Small pieces of food trapped between your teeth or beneath the gum line will deteriorate and affect your breath. 

  3. Reflux. Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) causes stomach acids and partially digested foods to flow back into the esophagus. Since the esophagus connects your stomach to your mouth, the result is a sour-smelling breath. 

  4. Dental infections. Abscessed teeth and periodontal disease produce pus that can drain into your mouth. This produces a bad taste and foul-smelling breath until the infection resolves.

  5. Dry mouth. Your mouth needs saliva to help prevent bad breath by washing away food particles and odor-causing bacteria. The dry mouth that results from insufficient salivary flow is called xerostomia. The causes of xerostomia include mouth breathing, side effects of certain medications, and medical conditions such as stroke, yeast infection, diabetes, and Sjogren’s syndrome.

How To Prevent Bad Breath

You should consult your primary healthcare provider if a medical condition or a medication side effect causes bad breath. Your dentist can often recommend products to help improve your salivary flow if dry mouth is a major cause of your bad breath. Since inadequate oral hygiene is the reason for many people’s bad breath, the best preventive measures include the following:

  • Brushing your teeth twice daily for at least two minutes.

  • Flossing at least one time each day.

  • Having regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleanings.

Using a Mouthwash to Fight Bad Breath

You may decide to use a mouthwash to supplement your home oral health routine of brushing and flossing. Choosing the correct product is essential to getting the desired results. Although many popular types of mouthwash contain alcohol, some dentists recommend avoiding these because they tend to dry the mouth and possibly worsen the problem.

One or more of these mouthwash ingredients can help you fight bad breath:

  • Cetylpyridinium chloride. This common ingredient is a germicide that can kill bacteria that contribute to tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. Additionally, it helps minimize plaque buildup that leads to halitosis.

  • Chlorine dioxide. Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) produced by oral bacteria significantly contribute to bad breath. Chloride dioxide has been shown to effectively reduce the amount of VSCs for fresher breath.

  • Menthol, eucalyptol, and thymol. These ingredients provide a mint taste and kill bacteria that cause oral malodor.

What is The 3 Best Mouthwash Brands for Bad Breath?

Therabreath Healthy Smile Oral Rinse

Therabreath Sparkle Mint is our top selection for anyone since it is an alcohol-free, fluoride mouthwash that kills bacteria that causes foul breath while also leaving your breath delightfully minty.

Lumineux Oral Essentials

Teeth’s lost minerals are replaced by Lumineux Oral Essentials, which also cleans and freshens breath.

Colgate CO Antistain

Colgate CO’s foaming anti-stain mouthwash, Antistain, builds a barrier to help prevent stains right away, and it’s portable enough to tuck into your bag for an on the go rinse.

Schedule Appointment

Our team of oral health professionals at Trident Dental is committed to helping you maintain optimal oral health, including having fresh breath. Contact us to learn more about how our award-winning dentists can help you have a bright smile and a healthy mouth.

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