Facts About Mouthwash

By Bobby Stocks, eHow Contributing Writer

Mouthwash is most often bought and used to combat embarrassing halitosis. But mouthwash is more than just a good mask for a lunchtime garlic fest. Mouthwash contains active ingredients that are a great supplement to brushing and regular dental checkups


History
•The most widely recognized over-the-counter mouthwash, Listerine, was originally invented as a surgical antiseptic in 1879 by Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Jordan Lambert. It was first sold as a general mouthwash product in 1914.

Types
•Mouthwashes can be purchased in three basic varieties: antiseptic, fluoride rinse or combination. Antiseptic mouthwashes are formulated to help fight bacteria that cause bad breath. They are also used to treat dental diseases such as gingivitis, a disease of the gums. Fluoride rinses are intended to aid in prevention of tooth decay. Combination mouthwashes, as the name implies, are designed to minimize tooth decay and keep breath fresh.

Benefits
•Everyone knows the importance of brushing the teeth and periodic dental exams, but regular use of mouthwash can provide additional benefit for good oral hygiene. A daily rinse can get into the hard-to-reach areas that a toothbrush often misses. It can kill the odor-causing bacteria and prevent germs that lead to tooth decay.

Warning
•Alcohol ingredients in mouthwashes have been suspected of contributing to oral cancer. However, there have been about 10 case studies performed over the last 30 years, all of which failed to conclusively link the product to any form of oral cancer. But a side effect known as "black hairy tongue" can result from overuse of antiseptic mouthwashes.

Fun Fact
•During the roaring '20s, mouthwash products were also used as a treatment for dry scalp, as after-shave lotion and even as a form of beauty cleanser.


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How To Make an Antiseptic Lavender Mouthwash

This antiseptic mouthwash is perfect for everyone. Lavender is a natural antiseptic, making it perfect for an antiseptic mouthwash. This lavender mouthwash is ideal for those that don't like the standard minty flavors and want a more natural based mouthwash. I suggest using this mouthwash once per day in place of your regular mouthwash.


INSTRUCTIONS

•Step 1
Pour the water into a saucepan that has a lid, then pour in the dried lavender. Stir the mixture together gently, then put the lid on and bring the mixture to a simmer.

•Step 2
Once the mixture begins to simmer, allow it to simmer for 45 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

•Step 3
Strain the mixture into a large glass jar with a lid, or cosmetics bottle. If necessary, you can put the mixture into two seperate glasses.

•Step 4
Allow the mixture to cool until it reaches room temperature.

•Step 5
Add the sweet sherry to the mixture (and if necessary split between the two glasses equally), then stir the mixture gently and cover. You can store the mixture at room temperature, or store in the fridge.

•Step 6
To use, shake the mixture gently, then add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to 1 tablespoon of water and swish around the mouth for about 2 minutes, before spitting out the rest of the mixture. There's no need to rinse the mixture out.


Things You'll Need:
•1 Tablespoon of Dried Lavender
•1 1/4 Cups of Mineral Water
•2 Tablespoons of Sweet Sherry


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Mouthwash Ingredients

By Krystal Miller, eHow Contributing Writer

•Mouthwash is a liquid solution that is available over-the-counter and in prescription form. It is used to mask bad breath, rinse out debris and bacteria, and coat your teeth with fluoride. The solution is swished around your mouth to cover your teeth, tongue, and gums. In most cases mouthwash should be swished around the mouth for 30 seconds. Mouthwash contains many active ingredients, as well as a few inactive ingredients.

Antimicrobials and Oxidizing Agents
•Antimicrobials, such as cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, and sanguinarine, phenolic compounds, reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth. Chlorhexidine is the most effective plaque-fighting drug but is only available by prescriptio. Oxidizing agents, such as sodium bicarbonate and chlorine dioxide, help mask and neutralize bad odors. Oxygenating agents (hydrogen peroxide) kill anaerobic germs, which can live without oxygen. Adding oxygen can kill these germs.

Fluoride, Astringents and Pain Relief
•Fluoride is used by many dental offices to clean and strengthen teeth, and to prevent tooth decay. Astringents, such as citric acid and zinc chloride, leave a pleasant taste in your mouth and shrink oral tissues. Pain-relieving agents, such as anodynes, are active ingredients in mouthwash. These will provide pain relief for your mouth if you have ulcers, sores, or tooth pain.
Buffering and Anti-Tartar Agents
•Buffering agents relieve soft-tissue pain and reduce acidity. These agents also dissolve any build-up of film on the lining of the mouth. Anti-tartar ingredients (such as zinc citrate) will reduce tarter build-up in the mouth.

Inactive Ingredients
•Inactive ingredients dilute the active ingredients and add color and flavor. Most over-the-counter mouthwashes contain a significant amount of alcohol as an inactive ingredient.

Warnings
•While mouthwashes are generally safe, side effects may appear with overuse. You should discontinue use if you get a burning sensation in your cheeks, gums or teeth. Mouthwashes are not recommended for children under 12 because there is a risk that they will swallow it, which can lead to fluoride poisoning or alcohol overdose.


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How to Make Free Alcohol Mouthwash


Step 1 : The first recipe for the Fresh Mouthwash bring water to a boil in a stainless steel saucepan.

Step 2 : Stir in the 2 Tablespoons of Angelica seeds, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a dash of the peppermint oil.

Step 3 : Let mixture sit for 15 minutes and then strain. Throw away the seeds and store in a clean covered container in the refrigerator. Mouthwsh can be stored indefinitely

Step 4 : For Minty Mouthwash bring 1 cup of water to boil in a stainless steel pan over medium heat. Remove pan from heat and add in 1 teaspoon of whole cloves, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons of parsley. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes and the strain. Pour into a clean covered container and as needed.


Need to do this project? Then let us help!

Things You'll Need:

1.Fresh Mouthwash you need:
•Water
•Angelica Seeds
•Peppermint Oil
•Baking Soda
2. For Minty you will need:
•Whole cloves
•Cinnemon
•Peppermint Extract
•Parsley
•Baking Soda

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History of Mouthwash

Contributor
By Shelley Moore, eHow Contributing Writer .

Ancient people discovered different ways of cleaning their teeth with various sorts of abrasives made into a powder. However, they soon learned that clean teeth didn't always clear up bad breath as well. Over the years, mouthwash has included some obvious ingredients, such as cinnamon, and more questionable ones, such as human urine. Mouthwash products have come a long way from ancient Rome.

History
The first evidence of breath freshener dates back to about 1000 B.C. with the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans chewing on eucalyptus, peppermint, cinnamon and vanilla beans. By 500 B.C., these people as well as the Chinese were chewing on powdered charcoal and bark to freshen breath. The Chinese and Romans later added mint leaves. The Greeks also used goat and donkey milk as mouthwash.

Geography
The Romans were clever enough to add hartshorn to their tooth powders because of its ammonia bleaching properties. They added human urine, which also had ammonia and was used in laundering. Realizing its powerful cleaning attributes, the Romans used it for a mouthwash too, preferring for some reason the urine of Portuguese people. Human urine became so valuable that the emperor Nero even placed a tax on it in the first century A.D. It wasn't only the Romans who used this sort of mouthwash--the Greeks did as well.

Significance
In the 1670s, the Dutch microscope inventor Anthony van Leeuwenhoek discovered bacteria. He called them little living animals or eels. Some of these "live animals" he found in deposits on teeth. He also discovered he could kill similar organisms from a nearby canal with brandy or vinegar, and thus learned the antiseptic properties of these fluids. Van Leeuvenhoek tried killing the "animals" in his mouth with strong wine-vinegar, finding that he could successfully eliminate the ones on the surface of the plaque, which he called "scurf," but that not all the animals were killed. This led him to conclude the vinegar did not penetrate the plaque very well. He also discovered that he could kill these bacteria with heat, after noticing that some bacteria died off after he swished coffee in his mouth. Although Van Leeuwenhoek did not have much success with mouthwash, his discoveries about bacteria and antiseptic products dramatically changed the fields of biology and medicine forever.

Time Frame
Different mouthwash formulas were experimented with over the years to make the substance less obnoxious while still killing bacteria. During the 1800s, for instance, a mouthwash might consist of ammonia mixed with honey and eucalyptus. Eventually ammonia was replaced with alcohol. The first antiseptic mouthwash to be marketed commercially was called Odol, invented by a German researcher in the late 1800s. Odol is still available today.

Prevention/Solution
English physician Joseph Lister performed the first surgery using antiseptic in the 1860s, sterilizing the instruments and the operating area with his carbolic acid bacteria-killing formula. These germ-killing methods helped prevent infections. About 10 years later, two other doctors introduced the antiseptic product we still know today, naming it Listerine after Dr. Lister. They marketed the liquid through their business, The Lambert Company, as a disinfectant for surgery. Around 1895, they also tried selling it as a mouthwash for its ability to kill germs, with little success except to dental practices. After World War I, the Lambert Company got the idea to heighten the public's concerns about bad breath. They advertised Listerine as a product that would eliminate this problem and subsequently made a fortune.


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