Is Your Mouthwash Burning Your Mouth? Here’s Why

Many of us reach for mouthwash to beat bad breath or to put an extra shine on freshly-brushed teeth. But do you ever experience a burning sensation when using mouthwash?

Dentist Kew

If so, it could be cause for concern.

Types of Mouthwash

There are two common types of mouthwash found in stores:

• Cosmetic mouthwash: These control bad breath and leave behind a nice taste, but they have no chemical or biological function. The benefits are purely temporary. These types of mouthwash help to dislodge food stuck in the teeth, which helps reduce the risk of tooth decay. If a product doesn’t kill bacteria associated with bad breath, then its benefit is considered to be solely cosmetic.
• Therapeutic mouthwash: These are available over the counter and by prescription. These help reduce or control plaque, gingivitis, bad breath, and prevent tooth decay. They may be called antiseptic, anti-plaque, anti-gingivitis, or anti-cavity, depending on their focus.

Dentist Camberwell

Why a Mouthwash Would Burn

There are a couple factors at play when a mouthwash starts to burn inside the mouth. Here’s a look at each.

• Menthol is used in mouthwash, giving it a strong, minty flavor and makes your mouth tingly and cold. Rinses with high levels of menthol are likely to sting the most. Menthol is used in dental products because it is antimicrobial, meaning it kills bacteria and stops their growth.
• Alcohol is also a common component in mouthwash. Alcohol has the ability to kill germs, but mouthwash doesn’t contain enough alcohol for that to happen. Instead, it’s there to act as a vehicle for other ingredients. It can also dry out your mouth. Some mouth rinses contain high levels of alcohol—ranging from 18 to 26%. This may cause a burning sensation in the cheeks, teeth, and gums.

Dentist Balwyn

Remember that you do not need alcohol in mouthwash for effective cleaning. It all depends on what you are looking for, and you can also use a non-alcoholic mouthwash.

Dentist Surrey Hills

Mouthwash is a secondary action, but the most important activity is to brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day and floss your teeth regularly. Once this is complete, you can now rinse your teeth with mouthwash. First, remove the food particles, germs, and bacteria, clean the gumline, and then rinse to eliminate all those germs hiding away.

Dentist Hawthorn

If you are still not sure and want to learn about the fact of why does your mouthwash burn, you can always come in and speak to our specialists at Tower Dental.

Dentist Mont Albert

Our clinic is conveniently located close to Kew, Mont Albert, Surrey Hills, Hawthorn, Deepdene and Camberwell. Please feel free to contact our caring dentists on 03) 9817 7144 for any of your dental needs.