There’s poor dental hygiene and then there is nuking all the bacteria in your mouth with mouthwash.

You can have perfect dental hygiene and never use mouth wash in your life.

Just cause companies like selling you a product, doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

You don’t need to cause extinction events in your mouth twice a day to avoid poor dental hygiene.

It's better to think of your body as a walking city of interlinked organisms of different species than a single organism. They need you as much as you need them. Killing off some of those symbionts can have negative effects for the other party (you).

Mouthwash is indiscriminate in that it kills of a huge amount of bacteria, but some of those are actually useful.

> It's better to think of your body as a walking city of interlinked organisms of different species than a single organism. They need you as much as you need them. Killing off some of those symbionts can have negative effects for the other party (you).

> Mouthwash is indiscriminate in that it kills of a huge amount of bacteria, but some of those are actually useful.

> It's better to think of your body as a walking city of interlinked organisms of different species than a single organism. They need you as much as you need them. Killing off some of those symbionts can have negative effects for the other party (you).

> Mouthwash is indiscriminate in that it kills of a huge amount of bacteria, but some of those are actually useful.

Not true https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35946140/

Also some of those are quite harmful https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34666923/

Floss once or twice a day, maintain gum health, and watch your diet. You don't need mouthwash. (Anecdata - at my most recent visit, my dentist told me to come back in 18 months.)

That’s strange for your dentist to give up money like that lol.

But also, at dental cleanings they do things like polish your teeth. Do you also not require that?

As it was explained to me, flouride will work in repairing microscopic areas of decay so long as the surfaces of your teeth are ultra clean.

My dentist insists that I see the hygienist every 3 months for descaling, cleaning and basic checks.

For the cynics, the cost of this is negligible and I have not needed a filling or any other costly procedure for over a decade.

Ohhh, I misinterpreted your comment. I think other people did too.

It seemed as if you were saying that your dentist told you not to step foot in the dentist office at all for 18 months. But you just meant, the literal dentist doesn’t need to see you. Got it. I feel like this isn’t out of the ordinary now.

I always hear every 6 months for a cleaning. This new “3-month” information takes a bit away from your original statement since you are doing a bit more than what you suggested is required for maintaining healthy oral health.

Leading back to my original joke, maybe your dentist insisting that you need to get your teeth cleaned every 3 months is how they make their money lol!

You're replying to a different person, now =]

Thank you! I assumed that only the person that I asked a question to would respond to me lol.

'Leading back to my original joke, maybe your dentist insisting that you need to get your teeth cleaned every 3 months is how they make their money lol!'

They make their money from implants and advanced treatments costing multiple thousands, not the £100 hygienist fees.

A hygenist, plus a nurse, seeing a maximum of 8 patients a day at £100 a time isn't a business I would want to be investing in.

Fluoride won’t but hydroxyapatite will.

I've had my fair share of dentists who do unnecessary treatments. Really like this one.

Re the polishing, I guess not? Since I switched to an electric toothbrush a few years ago my teeth definitely stay smoother longer.

Mouthwash is not really a dental hygiene thing.

If you need to use mouthwash to prevent bad breath even when you brush your teeth and clean your mouth properly, you need to look into what might be causing that problem in the first place. Mouthwash is like a duct-tape workaround and probably not very healthy for you either.

Btw - interdental toothbrushes. If you’re not using them already, you may want to start. Very helpful. Much better than flossing which has some problems associated with it.

> interdental toothbrushes. If you’re not using them already, you may want to start. Very helpful. Much better than flossing

Interdental brushes are IN ADDITION to, not instead of flossing.

Interdental brushes, by definition, cannot get down to the gumline gap between tooth and gum. Something which ONLY correct flossing can do.

Ask your hygienist next time you see them.