is it necessary to use a mouth wash?

i.like.cats

Oooh free dental advice, gimme gimme gimme!

Chewing gum (i think most of the ones i use have xylitol in them) - i use them throughout the day, and i've always thought that if i eat whilst out and about then chewing gum afterwards would be the next best thing to brushing ('cause y'know, a packet of gum is easy to carry around with you, whereas a toothbrush, toothpaste, interdental brush and water isn't). Is this a good thing to be doing or not?

Also i hate flossing so i'm using an interdental brush instead is this a reasonable compromise?

brook2jack

xylitol containing chewing gum excellent xylitol inhibits tooth decay and middle ear infections.As to not flossing if all the spaces between your teeth are large enough to fit a brush between then fine,if not you need to floss the others every day. Most people in the UK loose teeth to gum disease and not cleaning effectively between teeth contributes hugely to gum disease.

greenbee

Thanks for the reminder about corsodyl causing discolouration. I used it earlier in the year when I had a gum infection and have been wondering ever since why my teeth are discoloured in places. Now I just need to work out how to get rid of it... Hope it doesn't take as long to get rid of as the cement from my braces, the last of which the hygienist removed 20 years after the braces came off

I have been using mouthwash before brushing, but having seen the discussion on here will rinse with water instead in future

However, I do usually then brush with an electric toothbrush, then use interdental brushes, then rinse (with water... I only use mouthwash once!) then floss, then probably rinse again to remove any last 'bits' loosened by flossing. Should I be brushing last?

coldstreamalways

Rinsing after using toothpaste is like showering after putting sunscreen on. Toothpaste should be left to hang around for as long as possible

brook2jack

Polishing by the hygienist will remove corsodyl staining. as to brushing and flossing doesnt matter what order except spit dont rinse when using toothpaste otherwise even rinsing with water washes the fluoride away from the teeth.

greenbee

coldstreamalways wrote: »

Rinsing after using toothpaste is like showering after putting sunscreen on. Toothpaste should be left to hang around for as long as possible

Thanks... Strangely I don't think anyone has mentioned this before (or at least, not since I've been old enough to pay attention!) ... Although I don't use sunscreen...

brook2jack wrote: »

Polishing by the hygienist will remove corsodyl staining. as to brushing and flossing doesnt matter what order except spit dont rinse when using toothpaste otherwise even rinsing with water washes the fluoride away from the teeth.

Thanks... I'll let the hygienist know what it is, in case he thinks my coffee and red wine intake has rocketed! As the teepee brushes and floss seem to dislodge 'bits' that need rinsing, even after brushing, I guess I should do them first in order to be able to leave the toothpaste on.

I hope the dentist and hygienist will be suitably impressed by the improvement in the state of my teeth by my next visit!

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

i.like.cats

No-one's ever said anything to me about not rinsing following brushing, either. Reading this thread is the first time i've come across the "spit don't rinse" thing

lollipopsarah

yuk I couldn't just spit - I need to rinse.
Great post, my son loves mouth wash, not sure why as he doesn't smoke or drink tea/coffee.
(unlike naughty me)
xx

Jenny007

Toothsmith wrote: »

Chlorhexidine is absorbed by the gum and released over time. Therefore I would go with your dentist's recommendation.

The recommendation in hospital probably came from a nurse who wasn't a dental specialist. There was nothing intrinsically wrong with her advice, but Corsodyl's protection will last for longer than just whilst it's in your mouth.

With it being so hard to clean your teeth though, try and keep the frequency of your sugary intakes to a minimum (3 or 4 a day at the most). But - if you're having a sugar intake, there is no limit to how much you can have!

Aim for a few big food (mush!) intakes rather than lots of snacks and drinks. Is it a surgical repositioning you've had or an accident?

Unfortunately it was an accident, I broke my jaw in 3 places so I've had plates put in my chin and I had my mouth wired shut so things could heal. The wires are actually now off but I still have the metal bars and elastic bands attached. Its still hard to open my mouth wide enough for a toothbrush but I'm doing the best I can!
Thank you for your help!

Toothsmith

Ooouch!!!!!