What type of toothpaste / mouthwash do you use ??

[hello]

I went out and bought some regular crest toothpaste that has cavity protection.

Then I bought Crest pro-health mouthwash to help fight my gingivitis. It has no alcohol since I have thrush or something like it haha


P.S. I should be fine with the mouthwash right? Or should I just avoid it all together

[mikeg]

I use sensodyne... helps with the sensitiviy issues I have (I think from braces).

For a mouthwash I use "RESTORE" after reading about it here.. it is really much better than listerine...

I'm not sure about crest pro...

[Zoso]

The one wordd of caution I would give on the Pro Health mouthwash is that some people do find that it stains the teeth quite badly. Also note that it does not contain any fluoride - in the long run, adding a fluoride-containing rinse to your cleaning routine is one of the best ways that you can help protect your teeth from decalcification (white spots) whilst wearing braces. ACT would be one possibility, and was what my dentist recommended.

[hello]

i went to get the ACT mouthwash and it has alcohol in it uggg

Ill give the mouthwash to my parents then cuz i havent used it yet. I guess i'll look for one w/flouride,

[Candymomof3]

I have a Rite Aid Brand flouride rinse (like the green Act) and I use that once a day before bed after I have flossed and brushed. The taste is not too fabulous, but better than my morning rinse of oragel mouth rinse. UGH...horrible stuff, but helps clean out with having ulcers and all.

[Zoso]

The ACT that I used contained no alcohol. (And the same goes for the store brand equivalent product I used more often, to save my pennies.) See, for example, ACT Alcohol Free Anticavity Fluoride Rinse - you can click on a tab that lists all ingredients in the product.

Suspect you perhaps picked up the ACT Restoring. That does have alcohol.

[hello]

okay i will look for the alcohol free one.
thanks

[newsboysgrl777]

Quick question: what is the RESTORE mouthwash and why is it 'better than' listerine? Also, wouldn't it be BETTER to have alcohol in your mouthwash (for those of us that don't have the issue the OP does) as opposed to NOT having it, because it'll kill more germs?? I use listerine and it burns like the dickins much of the time, but I KNOW it's working and I don't know....i just feel like ACT is 'kid's stuff.' LOL. Maybe that's a misconception?

Secondly, I noticed ZOZO you mentioned decalcification and that's just what I asked on another thread, interestingly enough...and I have a question for you. Since my toothpaste contains fluoride, the water I use to brush my teeth contains it (since I use tap water), and my drinking water contains it (I buy the water WITH fluoride added to it), should this be okay? Or SHOULD I be investing in something like ACT? I got the ACT with fluoride from my ortho in my starter kit and used it til it was gone, but like I said, in my mind, it seemed like it wasn't killing the germs that listerine does. Am I wrong??

Last Q (sorry): What is the best toothpaste to be using?? I think I'm using colgate luminous. It was cheap and seemed to have all the things I needed -fluoride toothpaste/cavity protection/enamel strengthening (that's what it said. Maybe it is claiming to be enamel strengthening simply because it has the fluoride?). Is this okay to use? TY!!

[Zoso]

Listerine would have you believe that only by suffering can you do your oral health any good (just watch theior ads and teh way they tout "the burn"!). That's rubbish. There are a great variety of ADA accepted rinses. Some are fluoride rinses, some are not. Most Listerine formulations, as it happens, do not contain fluoride, so you are not getting the benefit of extra protection for your teeth when you use those.

Why is "the burn" not necessarily a good thing? Well, the alcohol in Listerine (and many other rinses) is not at all the only way of killing those plaque bacteria. Alcohol-free formulations of course rely solely on other methods. And the down side to alcohol is that it tends to dry out the oral tissues, which is not the best either - specially when you have braces.

From what I have read, topical application of fluoride (rinses, toothpastes, and so forth) helps to prevent cavities by strengthening the enamel surface of the teeth, by reducing the ability of bacteria contained in dental plaque to produce acid, and by helping to re-mineralse existing weak spots in the enamel. Fluoride that is added to our water supply helps in a different way: in kids, it helps strengthen the developing teeth, promoting the formation of stronger enamel; it is helpful to adults because it is a component of saliva, where it provides round the clock topical protection against cavities. From this, by the way, you can see one reason that drying out the mouth is bad

(A flip side to bear in mind though is that if a child consumes excess amounts of fluoride, then the developing teeth can become permanently stained - what is referred to as dental fluorosis)

I' am not a dentist, so I am not going to presume to tell you the choices to make - I will just relate what I was told. Though our water supply is fluoridated, and though I use a fluoride toothpaste, my dentist not only advised the addition of a fluoride rinse to my cleaning routine when I had braces, but he also suggested a topical fluoride treatment at my 6-monthly cleaning appointments, just to be on the safe side (and I promise you, he is not a dentist who pushes treatments). I decided that I was going to do all I could to help my teeth come through braces with neither cavities nor white spot lesions. So I added a fluoride rinse, and I let my insurance pay the (rather modest) price for those additional fluoride treatments.

As to the toothpaste you use - any reputable brand should do. I'd try to steer clear of any that are too abraisive, if I were you (given we tend to brush our teeth more often when braces) so gels might actually be better than pastes, on average.

[newsboysgrl777]

Thanks Zoso! Well, at least now I know that when I 'water down' my listerine, I may not be hurting anything? Or, maybe I'm just not getting an effective rinse at all because IT relies solely on the alcohol. Either way, I'll be switching..LOL. I can't say I love the burn..i just always thought that meant it was working. They got me good with their brain-washing.

As for fluoride treatments, I wish. I don't have insurance at all..and especially not dental...so if I get anything done, I'll have to do it out of my own pocket. Not sure if I can afford that. But, insurance will come after I marry and I can get my future-hubby's insurance. (WOW. that'll be weird to say for real!! "Hubby")

As to RESTORE...does anyone know anything about it? Or should I just do a google search? LOL. Sometimes I take the easy way out, but this time, I'm pretty much asking for actual users' opinions because, OBVIOUSLY, I am easily brain-washed

[newsboysgrl777]

This is interesting...between Act Alcohol Free Anticavity Fluoride Rinse and Act Restoring Mouthwash Anticavity, the main ingredients are almost exactly THE SAME, just in a different order, so I assume different quantities. So..is it a gimmick?? See for yourself! [I numbered the ingredients so you can see more easily, the company did not do so..so those numbers don't mean anything about the ingredients. I've put those ingredients that differ in bold]

Act Alcohol Free Anticavity Fluoride Rinse:
Active Ingredients: Sodium Fluoride (0.05%) (0.02% w/v fluoride ion)

Inactive Ingredients: (1) Calcium Disodium EDTA, (2) Cetylpyridinium Chloride, (3) Disodium Phosphate, (4) Flavor, (5) FD&C Green 3, (6) Menthol, (7) Methyl Salicylate, (8) Poloxamer 407, (9) Polysorbate 20, (10) Potassium Sorbate, (11) Propylene Glycol, (12) Sodium Benzoate, (13) Sodium Phosphate, (14) Sodium Saccharin, (15) Sorbitol, (16) Water, (17) FD&C Yellow 5

Act Restoring Mouthwash Anticavity:
Active Ingredients: Sodium Fluoride (0.05%) (0.02% w/v Fluoride Ion) (Anticavity)

Inactive Ingredients: (16) Water, (18) Alcohol (11%), (15) Sorbitol, (8) Poloxamer 407, (11) Propylene Glycol, (12) Sodium Benzoate, (4) Flavor, (13) Sodium Phosphate, (9) Polysorbate 20, (14) Sodium Saccharin, (2) Cetylpyridinium Chloride, (3) Disodium Phosphate, (1) Calcium Disodium EDTA, (5) Blue 1

[hello]

man im soo excited that i can chew now.

only took a week and im back to my reg food pretty much

[scvman]

Hey "Hello"
You say you can finally chew after a week? : D I just got my braces a couple days ago and it still feels like when I chew, I have intense pressure on my teeth, and it worries me I won't be able to chew any of the normal food I eat.

[justjenn]

My ortho told me to use Crest Pro Health regular toothpaste 2 times a day and the night version before bed. He also gave me a trial size of the night time mouth wash. I use the regular Pro Health mouth wash with the regular tooth paste, and night time one with the night. My dentist suggesting using ACT about once a day so I use it some as well.

Hope this helps.

[MsMichelle]

I use Crest Pro Health to brush and listerine with fluroride for my rinse.

My dentist and ortho both tell me that my teeth look great and whatever I am doing to keep on doing it. My teeth are just happy and clean as I am almost always brushing and keeping them clean.

[freysmiles]

This is a great forum. If you all are interested in how to keep you teeth as healthy as possible, I think I can be helpful. I am an orthodontist practicing in Lehigh Valley, PA. I have spent a lot of time researching the best way to prevent cavities because it is especially important to keep your teeth clean when wearing braces since there are even more nooks and crannies for plaque and food to accumulate.

Cavities are mainly the product of having a poor quality of bacterial plaque building up on your teeth. Bacteria are actually necessary to keep your teeth lubricated for chewing and to physically exclude pathogenic bacteria from inhabiting the mouth and causing worse disease than cavities. Unfortunately, some of these “helpful bacteria” produce acids that demineralize your enamel.

In order to avoid cavities, you obviously need to keep your teeth clean, and also create an environment in your mouth that is more hospitable to bacteria that do not produce acids. Here is how to do it:

-Brush your teeth in the morning before breakfast so that there are fewer bacteria in the mouth when you introduce food that the bacteria could use to multiply and make acids. Also brush before going to bed each night since during sleep your mouth is driest and there is less saliva to buffer acids in the mouth.
-Use a low abrasive toothpaste with fluoride, like pronamel, with a soft bristled tooth brush or better still an electric tooth brush. High abrasives can remove the protein pellicle that coats the surface of your teeth to help them resist acids. The pellicle is like the skin of your teeth. If you are not sure if your toothpaste is highly abrasive, rub some between your fingers, you shouldn’t feel any grittiness (do not do this in the store).
-Avoid, as much as possible, acidic foods and drinks like candies, sodas, kombucha, etc. Your tooth enamel begins to demineralize below a pH of 5.5
-Rinse before bedtime with an alcohol-free mouthwash that has a basic pH. Alcohol doesn’t actually do much to kill bacteria, notoriously “alcoholic” rinses like Listerine kill bacteria with essential oils. Alcohol will dry out your mouth however, which is counterproductive. The majority of mouthwashes also unfortunately have an acidic pH, the low pH stabilizes the ingredients and increases shelf-life. The only readily available mouthwash that I have found with a basic pH is Tom’s of Maine Natural Baking Soda Mouthwash. You can always make your own baking soda rinse, but I think it is easier just to buy it at the store.
-If your dentist thinks you are at a very high risk for cavities, he might recommend swishing with a baking soda rinse after meals to reverse any drop in pH that might result from bacterial metabolism of sugars. Swishing with water is a less effective, but a satisfactory solution for the rest of us.

I hope you found all of this helpful. Happy brushing!

Office Locations:
FreySmiles Orthodontics - Allentown
1251 South Cedar Crest Boulevard, Suite 210, Allentown, PA 18103
(610) 437-4748

FreySmiles Orthodontics - Lehigh Valley
4155 Independence Drive, Schnecksville, PA 18078
(610) 769-4141


Dr. Gregg Frey – Allentown and Schnecksville Orthodontist

[MsMichelle]

Thanks Doctor!!! That is great advice.... I am such a brusher and rinser with my teeth that I may go to the store to look for the oral rinse that you recommended.

[lyphta]

Wow so much important information!

I have a question, can the color of the mouthwash stain your teeth or anything? I know it might sound like a silly question, but I just want to be very careful with my teeth while I have braces on and when it comes off.

Thanks!

[Brace Face]

Listerine really stains my teeth. I don't know if the colour had anything to do with it but as soon as I had my hygenist clean them up, I switched to a clear mouthwash and they haven't stained at all since (that was at least 2 months ago). Both my dentist and hygenist said they had noticed incresed staining on some of their patients and Listerine seemed to be the culprit. It definitely was in my case.

[lyphta]

Oh really?!
I just went out to buy ACT so I'm hoping there won't be any staining issues since it is green in color...

[Sunny]

I've never had a problem personally with mouthwash staining my teeth or ligs and I've never seen it happen to any of the patients we have at work. Two of the mouthwashes I use are blue and one is clear. I've also used the purple listerine ... only because it was purple! lol

[MsMichelle]

Giggles I have the purple listerine as well and I haven't noticed any staining on my teeth nor has my ortho or hygenist. When I first got my braces the only thing that my ortho recommended was using non-abrasive toothpaste and fluroride mouthwash. But since everyone is different I guess it may be possible.

[catgyrl]

Sunny - I had to ditch that purple Listerine because it brought tears to my eyes (and not in a good way). And if I ever skipped a couple of days, when I did go back to it, the burning was worse. I switched to Act Restoring Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash in Spearmint. It doesn't burn even half as bad, nor does it stain my teeth. I'm hesitant to use it now, though, because I have clear ligs. Maybe I'll have to find that clear one - what's the brand?

[Sunny]

I'm with you Cathy ... I find most Listerine products are too strong and make my mouth hurt when I use them. My main mouthwashes are oral b mouthwash for sensitive teeth and Listerine whitening mouthrinse (which doesn't hurt). The whitening mouthrinse is the clear one, but it doesn't have fluoride, which is what mouthwash should be used for.

I had to have the purple listerine, coz it was purple!

I had a clear powerchain once and the mouthwashs never had any affect on it. Try a little bit of your usual mouthwash and see how you go ... hopefully this will help you gain confidence to keep using it.

[Brace Face]

I use Aquafresh Extreme Clean, I don't know if you get that in the states but it's clear. My hygenist said it's more likely to be one of the ingredients in Listerine that makes my teeth stain and not the colour itself. I just stick to clear to be on the safe side. I can't wait to get these things off and have a lovely polish and whitening......eyes on the prize...eyes on the prize....

[freysmiles]

There have been reports of the phenolic compounds in Listerine staining teeth, but it isn't all that common. So the short answer is no the color of the mouthwash will not stain your teeth, but some ingredients can make staining compounds in foods and drinks "stickier" with respect to teeth. On a separate note, I would avoid whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes until after your braces are off.

Dr. Gregg Frey
Allentown, PA Orthodontist | FreySmiles Orthodontics

[NewSmile10]

I love Crest Pro Health - It gives me that squeaky clean feeling and leaves me feeling fresh. I love Listerine and my favorite choice would be the Citrus.

I'm not big on the Minty flavor for Listerine. However, both of these products do the job and have my teeth nice and white!

[abaglady]

I don't know if it's available outside the UK/Europe, but I have been using Corsodyl toothpaste and Corsodyl Daily mouthwash for quite a few months now. It's supposedly designed for gum health and has a high fluoride content - the same brand has one of those really unpleasant tasting and strong mouthwashes to help with gum disease. The toothpaste tastes absolutely awful at first - it's kind of salmon pink in colour and I don't think I could describe the taste accurately - it's kind of salty and herbal at the same time. On the back of the tube it actually says you won't like it at first and there's a sort of graph which shows the growth in product satisfaction over time! Actually, it's true, you do get used to it and even like it - takes a week or so...

My ortho recommends Fluorigard mouthwash because it's got a high fluoride content, but the Corsodyl Daily has more fluoride, so I've stuck to that.

[lasvegasann]

Thanks for all the useful information!!!

[Katie]

I use Orthodontic toothpaste and mouthwash from Boots. It's really good if you have fixed braces (like me) because it gets into all those little gaps that a toothbrush can't reach.

Hope this helps

Katie x

[mzkimx3]

I either use the Sensodyne iso-active whitening or the Aquafresh iso-active whitening as for mouthwash I've been using the Purple Listerine. My dentist wanted me to get on a fluoride rinse as well once i day before bed. Now my question is if i'm using the purple Listerine do i still gotta do the fluoride rinse before bed as it is once a day and only fluoride?

[josie]

I use Kingfisher natural mint toothpaste (no artificial sweeteners/saccharin) with fluoride & Oralclens fluoride mouthwash (again, no artificial sweeteners or alcohol). It has been a struggle to find 2 products which don't have artificial sweeteners, yet do have fluoride - I'm really happy to have found these.

[Sunny]

What's the issue with having artificial sweetener in mouthwash, Josie? Personally I loathe the flavour of artificial sweetener, but as I'm not swallowing it, I can cope.

[josie]

Saccharin is a carcinogenic which is banned in Canada, in foods. (I'm not sure if it's permitted in toothpaste there.) In the UK it is allowed in both foods and in toothpastes. It is in nearly every single mainstream toothpaste but only in a few food/drink products (tonic water and some brands of diet lemonade). In the US it was permitted until 2000 only if foods containing it carried a warning that saccharin is thought to be carcinogenic. I know that a lot of these studies have been carried out giving X amount more than any person would eat, to rats - but still...

Seeing that, even if I don't intentionally eat my toothpaste or mouthwash, I do inevitably end up swallowing some of it, twice a day, every day of my life, I decided I wanted to find one without saccharin in. I don't think I'd mind if it was something I used occasionally - but something I'm going to put in my mouth 3 times a day, for life, I wanted to be more careful over. I know there are loads of alleged carcinogenic things around us and we can't wrap ourselves up in cotton wool and protect ourselves from them all (and if we did, we'd lead a v deprived life) - I do believe in 'everything in moderation' - but something consumed that frequently isn't, to my mind, in moderation.

The weird thing is that, I'm not sure why almost every toothpaste does have saccharin in it - the Kingfisher toothpaste I've found has no artificial sweetener and it tastes comparable to most other mint toothpastes I've tried. I could understand why saccharin were there, if there was no substitute or if it had to be there for taste - but that doesn't seem to be the case.

[IHIC]

At the moment I am using Sensodyne Pronamel toothpaste and Sensodyne Pronamel Mouthwash.

[Sunny]

My husband died from cancer at 50 ... he didn't do artificial sweetener, smoke and due to me being a raw foodie, he mostly ate food that was fresh. We recycle everything we use in our house so that it can be used to water our vegie gardens, so we didn't use chemicals. He lived life to the fillest, which meant he (like most of us) had little control over things like breathing in second hand smoke, chemicals etc etc etc.

My point ... life is too short to stress over the little things!

[josie]

I'm very sorry to hear about your husband, Sunny. Even trying to do everything in the name of being healthy, still isn't enough sometimes.

However, for many other people, various life-style changes can & do make a difference and save lives. Until we know more about genetics, I guess we just don't know (yet) just who it will make a difference for. I don't stress, but if I can make a change which isn't a huge sacrifice, then I will.

[PrimalNut]

I use Bronner's Soap to blot my teeth, then rinse with WaterPik on high. Done :-)