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Can mouthwash
help in treating gum disease?
Some mouthwashes are promoted
as being effective in treating gum disease. The truth is that they do not
effectively treat gum disease.
A mouthwash such as Listerine® does kill germs,
and it may kill a large number of them, but the germs quickly grow back. And
while it may help the superficial inflammation of your gums, it won't affect
the condition of the supporting structures of your teeth.
Notice the ads for Listerine® the next time
you hear one. The claim made in the ad is that Listerine combats
gingivitis. Gingivitis is the early, mild, reversible form of gum
disease. If all you have is gingivitis, the integrity of your teeth isn't
being threatened. Gingivitis doesn't cause loose teeth and bone loss. When
gum disease progresses to where it threatens the strength of your teeth, it
is called periodontitis. Listerine® cannot legally make any claims for the
treatment of periodontitis, because neither it nor any other mouthwash has
been shown to be effective in treating this advanced gum disease.
Furthermore, the mouthwash doesn't reach the
deep crevices of the pockets around your teeth. So if you have the more
advanced form of gum disease, periodontitis, the mouthwash isn't going to
help.
Peridex Mouthwash
Peridex® does is a prescription mouthwash that
may be prescribed by a dentist or periodontist. It is very effective at
killing bacteria in your mouth because it adheres to the tissues in your
mouth and continues to kill bacteria for hours. It is the most effective
general anti-bacterial mouthwash.
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