In addition to preventing cavities, here are 4 benefits of mouthwash for children

Maintaining the health of your little one's mouth can not only be done by brushing your teeth. You can consider giving mouthwash to children because it provides good benefits for the mouth.

However, keep in mind that giving this mouthwash is an additional step to maintain oral health. The child still has to brush his teeth twice a day and do it flossing .

Mouthwash is believed to have various benefits for oral health. One of them is to prevent cavities that are often experienced by children during their infancy. However, it turns out that there are still many parents who have not given mouthwash for their little one because they are in doubt about the safety profile of the mouthwash.

Therefore, let's know the safety of children's mouthwash and the benefits of using it below.

Is it safe to use mouthwash for children?

There is no need to doubt, according to the American Dental Association, mouthwash is safe for use by children aged 6 years and over.

However, keep in mind that mouthwash is not recommended to be given to your little one under 6 years of age. The reason is, children in that age range may accidentally swallow large amounts of mouthwash.

As a result, there will be side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and poisoning. Children in this age range are also at risk of experiencing fluorosis or enamel damage (protective layer of teeth) during the formation of teeth due to excessive consumption of fluoride in mouthwash.

Therefore, don't forget to always check the product label of mouthwash, such as instructions and recommendations for the age of the user before giving it to your little one. Also make sure to monitor the use of mouthwash after the child has brushed their teeth.

What are the benefits of mouthwash for children?

Do you know? Brushing teeth can only clean about 25% of the area in the mouth. In fact, oral health does not only include dental health.

There are gums, tongue and roof of the mouth that also need to be taken care of. Therefore, it is important to use mouthwash in the habit of maintaining oral health.

Mouthwash is believed to be able to clean germs and bacteria in areas of the mouth that are not reached by brushing or brushing flossing, especially for children who use braces.

Then, what are the other benefits of thoroughly cleaning a child's mouth with mouthwash? Here are four important benefits of using mouthwash that you can apply to your little one at home.

1. Prevent cavities

Based on a study published in the Cochrane Library, mouthwash, especially those containing fluoride, is used massively as a preventative measure against caries (cavities) in children at home.

The use of mouthwash has been proven to be successful in preventing caries in your little one. Based on the results of 35 trials in the study, there was a reduced risk of cavities in school-age children, after using mouthwash containing fluoride.

2. Make your breath fresher

Essential oils contained in mouthwash can make your breath fresher. Therefore, start giving mouthwash that contains essential oils because it has benefits to prevent bad breath in children.

Other than that, essential oils It is also believed that mouthwash can remove plaque that is formed by the remains of food or drinks that contain sugar, and usually sticks to the teeth.

To further minimize bad breath in children, you can also reduce the provision of sweet drinks such as soda. Then, make sure your little one drinks enough water every day. With fresher breath, children will be more confident in going through their days.

3.Prevent white spots on the teeth (decalcification)

Using mouthwash that contains fluoride also provides benefits in strengthening and protecting children's tooth enamel. In fact, some mouthwashes are also effective in preventing white spots (decalcification) on teeth.

Especially in children who wear braces, decalcification is a common thing. Therefore, children who wear braces are strongly advised to use mouthwash.

4. Relieve irritation in the mouth

Some mouthwashes are believed to relieve mouth irritation. The irritation in question can be gingivitis or inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria and germs.

Generally, when your little one has gingivitis, the dentist will recommend an antiseptic mouthwash that can be used after brushing your teeth to relieve pain.

Not only gingivitis, mouthwash can also reduce pain due to thrush. Mouthwash that can be used is an anti-bacterial mouthwash or a mouthwash specifically for thrush relief.

Choosing the right mouthwash for children

Before giving mouthwash to your little one, you need to remember that an age-appropriate mouthwash is a mouthwash that does not contain alcohol.

Therefore, choose a mouthwash that can provide maximum protection with a lighter taste, such as mouthwash containing Green Tea extract and non-alcoholic mouthwash (zero alcohol).

The mouthwash contains four active ingredients, namely Thymol, Methyl Salicylate, Menthol, and Eucalyptol which have been clinically proven to reduce 99.9% of germs that cause oral problems.

Because the mouth is a way for germs to enter the body, it is important for parents to maintain the oral health of their children. By doing this, the child's body will be stronger to prevent infection in the midst of a pandemic.

To provide more protection, don't forget to teach your little one to always apply health protocols 3M: wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands with soap so that his health is more awake.

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