Can I Repair My Enamel With Mouthwash?
Is mouthwash a part of your daily oral hygiene routine? Swishing with a capful of mouthwash can keep your breath fresh, but it may be able to help your oral health in other ways as well. A mouthrinse product with the right active ingredients can help control or reduce gingivitis, plaque and tooth decay.1 Learn more about mouthwash and whether it can be used to help repair your tooth enamel and gums.
Why Is Tooth Enamel Important?
Enamel is the thick layer around the tooth that protects your teeth from physical, thermal, and chemical forces that may damage the underlying dental pulp.2,8 Although enamel is the hardest substance in the body, it also requires a lot of care because it cannot repair itself.2 The bacteria that naturally lives inside the mouth produces acids that can cause the enamel to break down or dissolve, which can lead to cavities.2 The permanent damage from a cavity can only be repaired by a dentist.3
How to Help Rebuild Tooth Enamel
Tooth enamel may not be able to repair itself, but the minerals in the enamel can be replaced.3 Enamel is made up of calcium and phosphate, which is also found in your saliva.4 Saliva plays an important role in keeping your enamel strong as it works to replace the calcium and phosphate that gets stripped away by acids produced by cavity-causing bacteria.4 Another mineral that is essential for rebuilding tooth enamel is fluoride.4 When fluoride is combined with calcium and phosphate, it creates fluoroapatite.4 Fluoroapatite protects your teeth and is more resistant to tooth decay than calcium and phosphate alone.4
Where Can I Get Fluoride from?
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is commonly found in tap water, depending on where you live.4 Not every bottled water contains fluoride, so try to opt for a glass of fluoridated water when you can.4 Your dentist can apply fluoride to your teeth during a standard cleaning.4 By using a fluoride toothpaste like Pronamel, you can keep your teeth strong and healthy while protecting against acid attacks. Pronamel toothpastes are made without sodium lauryl sulfate to ensure that more fluoride can bind to your teeth.5
How Can Mouthwash Work to Repair Enamel?
Before buying just any mouthwash, it’s important to pay attention to what’s inside of the bottle. The two types of mouthwashes are cosmetic and therapeutic, and only therapeutic mouthwashes can help your oral health.1 Cosmetic mouthwashes may be able to temporarily get rid of bad breath, but therapeutic mouthwashes contain active ingredients that can help control or reduce oral conditions.1
When choosing a mouthwash to specifically help preventing tooth decay, look for a product that contains fluoride.1 Other active ingredients like cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine and essential oils can help reduce plaque, which is a sticky film on your teeth that can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.1,6
How to Use Mouthwash for Enamel Health
Mouthwash is not intended to replace daily brushing and interdental cleaning, but it can help reach parts of the teeth that cannot be reached by a toothbrush.1 You can use mouthwash before or after brushing, but some mouthwash brands may recommend a specific order based on their ingredients.1 If your mouthwash does not contain fluoride, you may want to use it at separate time than brushing to avoid rinsing away the fluoride from your toothpaste.7 Avoid giving mouthwash to children who are under the age of six, as they may accidentally swallow the formula while using it.1
Be sure to continue brushing twice daily and cleaning between your teeth once a day to keep your enamel and gums strong. To maximize the effects of fluoride, use Pronamel Mineral Boost Refreshing Peppermint Toothpaste to remineralize your enamel. You can also try Pronamel Intensive Enamel Repair Extra Fresh Toothpaste to actively repair acid-weakened enamel and protect your teeth from future acid erosion.
By adding a fluoride mouthwash to your daily oral hygiene routine, you can protect your enamel from the damaging effects of tooth decay. Use Pronamel’s Intensive Enamel Repair mouthwash daily to protect your teeth.
Source Citations:
- Mouthrinse (Mouthwash). American Dental Association. https://www.ada.org/en/resources/research/science-and-research-institute/oral-health-topics/mouthrinse-mouthwash Accessed 7/6/2023.
- Advanced imaging reveals structure of tooth enamel. National Institute of Health. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/advanced-imaging-reveals-structure-tooth-enamel Accessed 7/6/2023.
- The Tooth Decay Process: How to Reverse It and Avoid a Cavity. National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tooth-decay/more-info/tooth-decay-process Accessed 7/6/2023.
- The Superhero That Lives Inside Your Mouth. American Dental Association. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/how-fluoride-fights-cavities Accessed 7/6/2023.
- How Pronamel Helps Strengthen Weakened Enamel. Pronamel Website.. https://www.pronamel.us/why-pronamel/how-pronamel-works/ Accessed 7/6/2023.
- Plaque. American Dental Association. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/all-topics-a-z/plaque Accessed 7/6/2023.
- Top tips for great oral health. Oral Health Foundation. https://www.dentalhealth.org/oral-health-top-tips. Accessed 4/3/2024.
- Dental Enamel Formation and Implications for Oral Health and Disease. National Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28468833/. Accessed 11/21/2023.
