TO RINSE OR NOT TO RINSE
Happy “Tooth-Day”!
Farah Flossit here, wishing you well & hoping your back to school routine is settling in!
As a Mouth Monster Fighting Special Agent, I like to help parents instill & maintain good & consistent oral hygiene habits for healthy teeth from an early age. As with most children, if it isn’t fun or if it does not taste good, it will become a task they will try to avoid or get out of doing. In the past, I have stressed the importance of brushing & flossing, but “rinsing” is also an important & helpful component to add to your oral hygiene regiment.
Oral rinses are usually not recommended for children under the age of six because oral rinses are not meant to be swallowed & with some small children there is a risk that they will swallow the rinse instead of spitting it out. If your child is under the age of six & you as their parent feel they may be ready to use a rinse, consult with your dentist before giving your child any kind of oral rinse.
Now that I have outlined the age perameters & safety concerns, there are some general categories I’d like to go over with respect to oral rinses:
- Pre-brush
- Post-brush
- Anti-cavity fluoride
PRE-BRUSH CHILDREN’S ORAL RINSES
Pre-brush oral rinses for children tint the teeth (usually a blue color) so that the child can pay special attention to the areas that need to be brushed more thoroughly. This type of oral rinse is gentle enough for daily use, but is recommended for use immediately before brushing in the morning & evening. Pre-brush oral rinses are not formulated to prevent or reduce plaque or gingivitis. The purpose of this type of rinse is mainly for awareness & to help children clean their teeth better & for the right amount of time. This type of rinse is a great tool to reinforce positive behavior & good oral habits by giving the child a sense of accomplishment for brushing their teeth well. Once the child establishes a healthy & consistent brushing routine it may not be necessary to continue a Pre-brush rinse.
POST-BRUSH CHILDREN’S ORAL RINSES
The purpose of post-brush oral rinses for children is to prevent cavities, kill germs that cause bad breath & to protect teeth against plaque formation & stains. The recommended use is twice a day after brushing & flossing.
ANTI-CAVITY CHILDREN’S ORAL RINSES
Anti-cavity fluoride rinses are recommended for children six & older who are still perfecting proper oral hygiene habits. Most post-brush rinses are anti-cavity fluoride formulas to help protect teeth & gums.
The regular use of post-brush anti-cavity fluoride oral rinses has been clinically proven to help reduce cavities up to 40% more than brushing alone. Alcohol & sugar free formulas make pre-brush & post-brush oral rinses a safe & healthy way of introducing younger children to the idea & practice of gargling & spitting.
Unlike many adult therapeutic oral rinses, oral rinses for children DO NOT contain prescription ingredients or concentrations. Antimicrobial rinses with ingredients such as chlorhexidine gluconate are NOT RECOMMENDED for children under the age of 18, since their clinical effectiveness & safety have not been determined for this age group.
Stay tuned for part 2 of my Oral Rinse report next “Tooth-Day” where I will be discussing additional benefits , special features, actual product information for children’s oral rinses.
As with most of my special reports, I would like to highlight the importance of Regular Dental Checkups. Children’s pre-brush & post-brush rinses are intended for ages six & older to COMPLIMENT, not replace brushing & flossing. Visiting your dentist every 6 months & brushing & flossing at least twice daily is imperative for maintaining a healthy smile:)
Thank you for tuning in on today’s Happy “Tooth-Day’s” report!
I look forward to chatting with you all next week!
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Your Friend,
Farah Flossit (Special Agent Flossit)
