My Listerine mouthwash bottle directions says that for best results use twice a day after brushing. My toothpaste has 1450ppm fluoride, whereas the mouthwash is only 450ppm. Won’t using the mouthwash afterwards simply wash away the higher, more beneficial levels of toothpaste fluoride and replace it with lower mouthwash levels? What’s the reasoning for this advice?
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While it wasn’t the same question, a friend who is a dentist explained why brushing is more important than mouthwash…
Bacteria forms a sticky film and the only way to remove it is through abrasion, i.e. brushing your teeth. Mouthwash will only kills bacteria that it comes in contact with, it won’t penetrate a film of bacteria, so it only kills the surface. For this reason, Listerine was forced to change the wording in their advertising to have a clarification that it kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria *it comes in contact with*. I think this is normally asterisked and in a small font hidden on the bottle, though.
So, fluoride really has little to do with it. First you need to remove the film of bacteria by brushing and flossing. Mouthwash is like the cleanup crew that kills off the stragglers. Fluoride in your mouthwash is just a slight added benefit.
Edit – to clarify, “mouthwash” such as Listerine (which OP specially names) is an oral antiseptic and some times has fluoride. There is also “fluoride rinse” that is primarily just a fluoride supplement.
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