Lifestyle
Here’s how oral hygiene is improved with mouthwash
Mouthwash is an additional step to twice a day, two minutes brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing. Besides eliminating bacteria in the mouth, mouthwashes are formulated for quite a few other purposes. The formulations would naturally depend on the objective to be met by the mouth rinse. Basically, there are two types of mouthwash. The common mouthwashes have various bactericides that are capable of killing a high level of bacteria in a short time and they are called therapeutic mouthwashes. The other is cosmetic and they do not contain any bactericides. They mask the bad odor for a short period. Therapeutic mouthwashes are available over the counter while some are available only under a prescription. Mouthwashes are formulated with different objectives. One is used to prevent dry socket condition after the extraction of the third molar. Dry socket is a condition wherein the blood clot gets dislodged from the socket and is very painful for three to four days. This is common in the extraction of wisdom tooth. The real reason for Alveolar Osteitis or dry socket is not known. It is attributed to degradation of the colt by bacterial action. Studies have established that when chlorhexidine is used without antibiotics is effective in preventing Alveolar Osteitis.
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