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Is mouthwash all I need?

Alas, no. Any hope you’ve ever harboured for a quick dental fix doesn’t exist. The good ol’ brush and floss are still the essentials,
says Dr Edelweis Tan, a dentist from St Andrew’s Dental Surgeons. “I never recommend mouthwash except when really necessary, such as after extractions, surgeries, or when the patient suffers from gum diseases,” she says. “Mouthwash is not a substitute for brushing or flossing.”

However, don’t relegate it to the bin yet, because mouthwash can maintain oral hygiene, albeit in a supplementary manner. The main antimicrobial agents such as fluoride and chlorhexidine serve to impede bacterial growth and can reduce the incidence of oral diseases, says Dr Tan. The best time to rinse off would be right after you brush and floss, she says, because loosening the gunk on your pearly whites allows the mouthwash to work to its fullest potential.