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Dental hygiene is crucially important for achieving healthy teeth and gums. It's obvious that we all need to brush our teeth with toothpaste at least twice a day, but what if that's not enough? If you're noticing a bit of halitosis or bad breath, all you need to do is try an antibacterial or antiseptic mouthwash for bad breath at home that can disinfect your gums and clear away bacteria.
With so many brands, though, it's hard to know where to start so we've put together our top ten rated products in the UK. In addition, we've run through a few pointers that you should know before you buy your own mouthwash, like whether or not you need a Chlorhexidine formula such as Corsodyl, an alcohol-free option from Listerine, or CB12 for overall bad breath. Read on for a minty fresh experience!
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Table of Contents
Two of the most effective ingredients for combating bad breath are chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium, strong antibacterials that wipe your mouth clean of stenchy germs. Chlorhexidine is also great at clearing up gingivitis. So, if you're looking for a powerful way to blast away bacteria, keep an eye out for these favourites!
It's worth mentioning that using chlorhexidine for long periods can result in staining and chalky build ups on your teeth. This means that whilst they will be very effective, they aren't ideal as a long-lasting fixture for everyone's dental routine.
Other chemical ingredients to look for instead are ethyl lauroyl arginate HCI and benzoic acid, which work similarly as antifungal and antibacterial agents to clear away bad breath.
Another tool you need to help with keeping bad breath at bay is a tongue scraper!
Various compounds of essential oils such as thyme (thymol), menthol, or eucalyptus (eucalyptol) also fight fungal infections and bacteria. Similarly, the mineral zinc oxide can also be used. Antifungal and antibacterial elements can help to combat bad breath and maintain fresh and healthy gums.
However, as these ingredients are gentler than chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium, you may notice that they are not quite as powerful. If you'd like to seriously tackle bad breath, we'd recommend blasting it with stronger solutions, or you can opt for a combination of the two.
Oil pulling products also contain some essential oils that do wonders for your mouth!
Many popular mouthwash brands include alcohol in their products, and while this is good for killing germs, it can also have a few undesirable side effects such as dry mouth and irritation.
If you do suffer from xerostomia (dry mouth) or you have sensitive gums, you should opt for a mouthwash that is alcohol-free. That way, your mouth will be refreshed and soothed and you can still zap that bacteria at the same time!
You might want to get a mouthwash for gums if you prefer a more targeted formula.
When you're trying to get used to a new habit, you're more likely to stick to it if it's something that you enjoy. Not many people can say that using their mouthwash is the best part of their day, but if you choose a tasty flavour, it will be a much better experience. You might even learn to love it!
The most popular flavour, evidently, is mint. Menthol hints are ideal for giving you fresh-smelling breath and tingling clean gums. If you have sensitive gums and you prefer more subtle flavours, you can also get softer mint or herbal infusions to avoid irritation or just to change it up a bit.
Keep your breath fresh all day long and pick up a pack of breath mints too!
Arguably the most trusted name in its field, Corsodyl's daily mouthwash gives you healthy gums and teeth with almost no effort involved. Using a dual-action formula that contains 0.06% chlorhexidine, you'll notice that this product will show positive progress almost instantly.
Not to mention, this mouthwash is alcohol-free and cares for your gums, as well as providing a whopping 24-hour protection period. So using it twice a day will double your chances of having fresh breath!
With a unique delivery system, this mouthwash pumps exactly the dosage you need each time. Simply press and hold the red button to dispense exactly 10ml of product, gargle for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and spit it out.
For all-round mouth care, this product helps to solve each and every one of the problems of your teeth and gums on a daily basis. Natural oxygenating power of OXYD-8 kills the bacteria that cause bad breath odours like nasty morning breath and removes sour, bitter, and metallic tastes from your mouth.
Formulated with no alcohol, no artificial flavours or colours, it is also designed to combat dry mouth, leaving you with fresh and clean breath. This is a good general cleaner for oral bacteria and perfect for anyone who might be irritated by mouthwashes with highly concentrated formulas.
The ultra-effective 0.2% chlorhexidine solution will blast away any unwanted bacteria in your mouth that's been causing you bad breath while providing a protective shield for your teeth to prevent future damage. It's also alcohol-free, unlike a number of other medicated mouthwashes.
This double-phase mouthwash is clove flavoured, giving you a soft herbal taste for fresher breath. It's key ingredient, cetylpyridinium, acts as an antiseptic to battle any mouth-based bacterias that could be causing bad-smelling breath.
This is a good alternative for those who aren't keen on mint, and it's super-soothing and great for those with sensitive gums! However, if you don't like the clove flavour, you may find this a bit overpowering.
During the night, our stomachs produce acid from food and drink that we've eaten which can sometimes flow to our mouth and cause bad breath. Using a nightly reset mouthwash is great for waking up feeling refreshed and clean.
While it's recommended to use mouthwash twice a day, this formula targets the bacteria and germs that you gather in your mouth throughout the day and takes advantage of your most inactive hours in order to deeply clean and disinfect your gums. The 'milder mint' flavour will suit those looking for something less overpowering, too.
By removing bacteria in your mouth that are left behind after brushing your teeth, this mouthwash by UltraDEX can offer protection from germs and eliminate compounds that cause bad breath.
Along with this, this product is alcohol-free so it is suitable for people with sensitive gums and teeth. UltraDEX is different from other mouthwashes because it doesn't just mask bad breath odour with a minty taste, it actually gets rid of the root cause.
For 24/7 protection against plaque, this is the product that you're looking for. Proven to reduce plaque and freshen the mouth, this is one of the most popular products for combating bad breath.
Due to the presence of CPC (cetylpyridinium chloride), this mouthwash is suitable both as a short term breath freshener and also for more serious cases, as the powerful antibacterial ingredient works to put bad breath under control. However, it does contain sorbitol, which some people avoid.
To ensure that your gums are treated with the right care that they need, you can use this medicated mouthwash which has been clinically proven to fight any infection and bacteria to prevent gum disease and bad breath.
Using chlorhexidine to disinfect the cracks and creases in your mouth, this powerful product will help to improve gingivitis, gum ulcerations, denture sores and bad breath in no time! It also has a unique aniseed flavour.
This mouthwash is popular for its ability to provide a strong protective shield to keep your teeth away from plaque, germs, and all of the other bad-breath cheerleaders, including painful gingivitis.
Unfortunately, this particular mouthwash is rich in alcoholic ingredients, and it also has a highly acidic flavour which can leave a bad taste in your mouth – all of which may not make your new dental routine any easier!
Written and researched by Annie Speight
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The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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