Study Reveals Using Mouthwash Is The Key To Good Oral Health

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A study has revealed that using mouthwash in addition brushing is the key to good oral health.

Researchers found that using mouthwash in addition to brushing was the most effective means of removing plaque from the mouth. The research team stressed that rinsing with mouthwash should not replace brushing and that it was most effective after brushing. It was suggested this method was effective because it reaches the whole of the mouth, while brushing focuses on the teeth. For this reason plaque and bacteria may be missed in areas that are hard to reach.

The lead author of the study said the findings were easy to explain as the teeth account for only for 25% of the mouth. This means that brushing alone cannot remove bacteria from the mouth. Using antibacterial mouthwash targets all areas of the mouth.

The findings of the study were published in the January/February 2013 edition of the General Dentistry Journal. The study ran for a period of 6 months and involved 139 patients that were separated into two groups. One group brushed their teeth twice a day and used antibacterial mouthwash twice a day, while the other group brushed twice a day and used a placebo mouthwash.

The study found that patients in the first group experienced a reduction of plaque build-up of 26.3% and a reduction of 20.4% in symptoms related to gingivitis compared to the start of the study.

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