Common dentist words in alphabetical order

Loss of teeth with age is not inevitable.
With a little time and effort you can prevent most cavities or gingivitis. Though starting proper care of your smile early is better than starting later, taking care of yourself always has benefits.

Mouthwash:

Generally mouthwashes are not an important part of oral hygiene. If mouth odor is caused by food (e.g. the infamous garlic), then something in the mouth will not effect it. You eat the garlic, absorb the volatile compounds and then some of them evaporate from your lungs. Other causes of mouth odor can be from diseases of the kidneys, liver,or diabetes. More often mouth odor is from problems in the mouth (e.g. poor hygiene, gingivitis) or sinuses (e.g. post nasal drip, sinus infection). Good general health care, dental hygiene, and visits to your dentist are the best things you can do. Sometimes the irritation and drying effects of the alcohol present in most mouthwashes can make problems worse.
As for as reducing plaque, only two mouthwashes have been proven effective. One is Listerine, which can help some, but contains alcohol. The really effective one is, which is only available by prescription is chlorhexadine based.