THE SECRET OF FRESH BREATH – MOUTHWASH

   

There is a conversation of me with my lovely mummy below.

Mum: “Aiyor, you didn’t brush your teeth ah? Why you have so serious bad breath?”

Me: “I did brush lar! How I know why will be like that, I don’t want also.”

Mum: “I think you cannot just brush your teeth, you need to use mouthwash also. If you continue like this, no people dare to marry you ah!”

Recently, I found that only brushing teeth is not enough to freshen our breath. So, mouthwash is needed as a supplement. Mouthwash is a liquid oral product to maintain oral hygiene, reduce formation of plaque and tartar, reduce cavities as well as whiten teeth.

Mouthwash can be classified into three main types:

1.     Cosmetic mouthwash- purely for disguising bad breath. It can be used to clean our teeth but does not have the ability to prevent tooth decay.

2.    Antiseptic mouthwash- freshen breath, stop the growth of bacteria, prevent the buildup of plaque and protect the teeth from decaying.

3.    Fluoride mouthwash- increase the fluoride layer on teeth and so strengthens the teeth as well as extra protection against tooth decay.

The ingredients of mouthwash are composed of diluents, antibacterial agents, oxidizing agents, flavorings and colorants.

1.     Diluents:

·         Water (H₂O)– make up over 50% of entire formula

·         Alcohol

2.    Antibacterial agents (kill bacteria and reduce plaque):

·         Thymol (C₁₀H_13.OH)

·         Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC)

·         Phenol (C₆H₅OH)

·         Chlorhexidine

·         Tannic acid (C₇₆H₅₂O₄₆)

3.    Oxidizing agent (use oxygen to reduce the anaerobic bacteria in mouth):

·         Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)

·         Hygrogen peroxide (H₂O ₂)

4.    Flavoring :

·         Menthol

·         Methyl salicylate (C₆H₄(HO)COOCH₃)

5.    Preservative (preserve freshness once the bottle is opened) :

·         sodium benzoate (NaC₆H₅CO₂ )

6.    Fluoride ( efficient in preventing tooth decay and strengthen our teeth as it increase the fluoride layer of our teeth)

When I am searching the information about mouthwash, I found that it is better for us to choose a mouthwash that is alcohol-free as some researchers suggested that alcohol-containing mouthwash may cause oral cancer. Besides that, some people will have the mouthwash addiction because of the alcohol in the mouthwash. Consuming the mouthwash regularly will cause to death.

Readers, if you don’t want to buy mouthwash in the market, there is a tip for making a very simple homemade mouthwash for yourself!

-      Add one-half teaspoon of salt/ baking soda into 8 ounces of water, stir and gargle.

 I searched a funny picture online! And I’m imitating him with my mouthwash! Haha….

 Lastly, an advice for all my lovely readers, tooth brushing is irreplaceable by the mouthwash. Only the combination of brushing, flossing, using mouthwash twice a day and visiting dentist regularly can maintain oral health. So, let’s start to take good care of our oral health! =)