Millions of people use mouthwash each day, and so one would hope that mouthwash really does help to care for your teeth, other wise it could be cut from the morning routine.

Mouthwash is a great way to freshen breath, even though you just brushed, sometimes you have odor causing bacteria, and mouthwash is said to fight these, but who knows, maybe it is simply masking the smell. That brings us to the heart of the question, ads tout mouthwash as a great way to rinse away oral health problems, but does using mouthwash really help to care for your teeth?

Experts say the answer depends. The answer really lies in what kind of mouthwash you use.

Is there a big difference in mouthwash varieties? Yes! Believe it or not you can basically narrow mouthwash down to two categories:
1.    Cosmetic mouthwash
2.    Therapeutic mouthwash.

Each type of mouthwash has its own benefits:

Cosmetic mouthwashes:
These mouthwashes are really only intended to mask bad breath and remove debris from your teeth and gums. However, the same debris could be removed by swishing water around in your mouth, in most cases.

There are also some cosmetic mouthwashes that contain whiteners to help whiten the teeth. So, while white teeth are nice, and may encourage you to take better care of your teeth because of the improved appearance, this type of mouthwash is purely cosmetic and does not provide added protection against tooth decay. So to answer the question, "Does using mouthwash really help to care for your teeth?" In this case the answer would be no.

Therapeutic mouthwashes:
These mouthwashes are formulated to help prevent or treat an oral health problem. These are stronger mouthwashes, and most are not recommended for children as they may swallow the mouthwash.

The formulation may include several different things to help keep your teeth and gums healthy. For example, anti-plaque mouth rinses, or mouthwash, are designed to treat and prevent excessive buildup of dental plaque. However, anti-gingivitis rinses are intended to help prevent gum disease by killing bacteria that cause it. Fluoride rinses also formulated to help strengthen teeth and protect them from decay.

There are some therapeutic mouthwashes that double as cosmetic mouthwashes as well as they also freshen breath and can have other added benefits.

Most experts believe that the effectiveness of mouthwash use in boosting oral health is contingent upon how well you follow other proper oral hygiene as well as what rinse you use. Many studies have shown that whether or not mouthwash helps you care for your teeth depends on what you want cared for. For example, some fluoride ones will reduce your cavities, but some made for fighting plaque are really no more effective than rinsing with water. It really depends. So, ask your dentist what they recommend, and what brands of mouthwash they suggest. The ADA does not specifically advocate using mouthwash as part of its suggested routine for maintaining good oral hygiene. However, many strongly believe that mouthwash makes a big difference in the care of their teeth.