Surprisingly, commercial mouth rinses may contain more alcohol than wine or beer. Some mouth rinses contain up to 26.9 percent alcohol. compared to beer which is 5 to 7 percent or wine which has 12 to 14 percent alcohol. Alcohol intoxicates and burns, yet it is the main ingredient in many leading mouth rinses. It can irritate and dry out the mucous lining in your mouth. It can soften, damage and discolor your fillings, yet it is not even strong enough to kill the bacteria in your mouth.

Be sure to keep mouth rinses out of the reach of children. Pediatrics for Parents newsletter warns that the alcohol contents of mouth washes may be toxic to young children. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that as little as 30 ounces of a mouthwash containing 5 percent alcohol can be fatal to an average (22 pounds) toddler.

USE ALCOHOL-FREE MOUTH RINSES

Alcohol-free rinses are gentle, don't burn or dry the oral tissues and still fight germs that cause plaque and bad breath.

Alcohol-free rinses are every bit as effective as any of the commercial mouth rinses that contain alcohol. Alcohol-free rinses are recommended for people with xerostomia (dry mouth), those recovery from substance abuse, and for people taking Antabuse.

Listed below are six alcohol-free mouth washes or mouth rinses that are available in stores today:

Tom's of Maine Natural Alcohol-Free Mouthwash, Rembrandt Mouth Refreshing Rinse Alcohol-Free, Clean Choice Alcohol-Free Mouth Wash, Reach ACT Anti-cavity Fluoride Rinse Alcohol-Free for adults (may be effective with root caries), Reach ACT Anti-cavity Fluoride Rinses for Kids, and Biotene Antibacterial Alcohol-Free Mouth Wash which is recommended for people with "dry mouth ."

Resources: Dental Teamwork, a journal for the dental team, July/August 1993
The Journal of Practical Hygiene, Vol. 6 No. 4 July/August 1997

Learn more about this author, Louise Tucker.
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