Do Mouthwashes Really Work for Bad Breath?

It’s refreshing to rinse with a mint flavored mouthwash after brushing and flossing the teeth. Mouthwashes make your mouth feel and taste cleaner – at least temporarily. But, mouthwashes are often marketed as a cure for bad breath and as a way to avoid social embarrassment. Do mouthwashes work for this problem?

What’s in Them?

Some mouthwashes contain chemicals that kill bacteria in the mouth. One such chemical chlorhexidine, although effective, can cause temporary staining of the mouth and tongue. Other mouthwashes are formulated with flavorings and agents that neutralize or temporarily mask bad breath odor. Some mouthwashes also contain artificial coloring, preservatives, alcohol, detergents, and fluoride to reduce the risk of dental caries.  

Do Mouthwashes Work for Treating Bad Breath?

It depends on what’s causing the halitosis. Not all bad breath comes from problems in the mouth. Breath odor can also arise from underlying digestive problems, liver disease, or chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. (GERD). It can also be related to post nasal drainage or a chronic sinus infection. In these cases, a mouthwash that contains a flavoring agent may temporarily mask the odor, but the effects will be short-lived – usually less than thirty minutes.

Some bad breath does arise from unfriendly mouth bacteria. Bacteria can lodge in the spaces between teeth and hide in the crevices along the tongue. When this happens, they produce sulfur containing compounds that have a noxious odor – leading to halitosis. Saliva helps to reduce the bacterial population and dilute out the sulfur compounds which is why people with a dry mouth often have bad breath. It’s tempting to think that an anti-bacterial mouthwash containing chlorhexidine would solve this problem, and it does help. Unfortunately, when bacteria lodge in deep tongue crevices they can be difficult to reach even when the tongue is scraped. Flossing has some beneficial effect by removing odor producing bacteria that lodge between the teeth.

Are Alcohol Containing Mouthwashes a Good Thing?

Alcohol is frequently added to mouth washes to kill odor causing bacteria, but when it’s added in high concentrations it can dry out the mouth – increasing the risk of halitosis.. One small Australian study even showed that mouthwashes containing alcohol increase the risk of mouth cancer – although this association hasn’t been confirmed.

The Bottom Line?

Mouthwashes that contain flavoring agents and other ingredients that neutralize odor can mask bad breath for periods of up to an hour, but they do little to correct the underlying problem. Anti-bacterial mouthwashes reduce the bacterial population that can cause bad breath, but may not be unable to reach the sulfur producing bacteria hiding in the deeper recesses of the tongue. Before using mouthwashes to clean up bad breath, find out what’s causing the problem by visiting a doctor and dentist. Some tips? Practice good dental hygiene by brushing and flossing daily. Chew sugar-free gum containing xylitol to kill bacteria (due to the xylitol) and keep the saliva flowing. Use an anti-bacterial mouthwash that has as low an alcohol concentration as possible to reduce the bacterial population in your mouth – but don’t count on it to work miracles. It’s one more tool in your battle against bad breath.