What’s the Best Mouthwash for Bad Breath?

Bad breath is caused by a buildup of bacteria in the mouth. This is commonly down to poor oral hygiene, diet or other health issues. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to tackle bad breath. Regularly using mouthwash is a highly effective way to kill bacteria in your mouth and freshen your breath, particularly between meals.

What causes bad breath?

Bad breath is caused by a buildup of bacteria in the mouth. This could be down to food debris from your last meal getting stuck in the gaps between your teeth, or it could be down to a buildup of plaque and tartar as a result of poor brushing technique.

Your bad breath might also be caused by underlying health conditions. Before tackling your bad breath with brushing and mouthwash, visit your dentist to help rule out any other health conditions. Your bad breath could be the result of periodontal disease, which needs to be addressed urgently to avoid further issues like tooth loss.

What is the best mouthwash for bad breath?

When selecting your mouthwash, you will commonly be presented with two choices: cosmetic mouthwash and therapeutic mouthwash. A cosmetic mouthwash will do little more than rinse your mouth and leave you with a fresh, minty taste. This type of mouthwash is commonly marked as “no alcohol” and will not do anything to kill the bacteria that causes your bad breath.

A therapeutic mouthwash contains antibacterial ingredients to kill the bacteria and leave your mouth feeling fresh. Look for mouthwash that contains ingredients like cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and chlorhexidine as these are effective antibacterial ingredients that will kill the bacteria causing your bad breath.

Corsodyl Medicated Antibacterial Mouthwash is a popular choice as it is widely available from chemists. It contains the active ingredient Chlorhexidine Digluconate which helps to kill the bacteria that causes bad breath. It’s also a popular treatment for tackling gum disease at home.

CB12 mouthwash is another great choice for tackling bad breath. It contains a blend of Zinc and Chlorhexidine which work together to kill the volatile sulphur compound gases that cause bad breath.

And finally, you could also consider Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment Mouthwash. Listerine is a popular choice because it is a recognised household name. It contains chlorhexidine which helps to neutralise the bacteria that causes bad breath. It’s also effective for treating gum disease if this is the underlying cause of your bad breath.

How to use mouthwash effectively

How you use your mouthwash is often just as effective as the mouthwash that you choose. You can use mouthwash after brushing to help clean the parts of your mouth that your brush doesn’t reach. You can also carry mouthwash with you to help remove food debris after a meal and freshen up your breath.

To use mouthwash, fill a cap full and place this in your mouth. You now want to “swish” this around your mouth, getting into all corners and pulling it between your teeth. This will help to ensure you have reached all surfaces.

If you are confident you can gargle without swallowing, you can also do this to help kill any bacteria that might be present at the back of your throat. When you are done, spit out the mouthwash, but don’t rinse with water.

A common mistake that people make is to rinse with water to get rid of the taste, but this could undo all of your hard work. Like a surface cleanser, the mouthwash needs to stay in contact with your teeth, gums and tongue to help eliminate the odour-causing bacteria.

You can have a glass of water after you have brushed if you would like to get rid of the taste, but don’t swish this around your mouth as you will be undoing the hard work of your mouthwash.

Still struggling with bad breath? It might be time for a trip to the dentist. Book a consultation with our team today!