Do the best mouthwashes contain fluoride?

[coolness]

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I used to use ACT mouthwash, which claims that it prevents tooth decay and cavities, I think, and is ADA approved. Is this mouthwash the best? I've noticed that other mouthwashes don't contain fluoride. Is fluoride a necessary component for a mouthwash to prevent cavities, etc...?

 

[Doggie]

I'm not sure, but i think ACT is more of a fluoride rinse than a traditional mouth wash that just masks bad breath.

 

[scandalouslj]

You cant really define a best mouth wash, it really depends on what you are looking for? To prevent cavities sure a flouride mouthwash is good, but it is more for people that dont get enough flouride such as dont have fluoridated water in their city, or have had multiple cavities, and ortho patients. Listerine is for killing germs and preventing gingivitis, as is clorohexodine, for bad breath scope or any of the above should work.

 

[O'neill]

We had a periodontist who taught our oral soft tissues class tell us that the Listerene company just got approval (maybe from the ADA, i am not sure) to advertise that using their product was as good as flossing. He then stated that this of course is not accurate, but if all of those people who don't ever floss used listerene daily, the worst thing that could happen is that they would have better breath.
I immediately went out and bought an economy sized bottle of Listerene.

 

[Reed1978]

Flouride is necessary to strengthen teeth, and if you happen to live in an area that doesn't have fluoridated drinking water, or if you aren't getting some other systemic source of fluoride, then you really need to get it topically - via toothpaste and/or a mouthrinse. ACT is really amazing stuff for this end. If you call them up, they will send you all the studies that they did on their mouthwash. Some people prefer listerine or scope - but many often complain that these mouthwashes are extremely harsh in taste (I am one of the many). The people here at UB's dental school who did many of the studies concerning the various mouthwashes conclude that ACT IS the best. Not that that really means anything...it's just a minority consensus from one of the top research schools in the country.

 

[pmoney]

Where I live there is no fluoride in the water so I had to get fluroide tablets when we moved here but now I just use either the Oral-B or Colgate FLuoriguard. They both work pretty much the same except the Colgate just seems stronger but really there is not much difference.

 

[UNLV OMS GUNNABE]

Flouride is necessary to strengthen teeth, and if you happen to live in an area that doesn't have fluoridated drinking water, or if you aren't getting some other systemic source of fluoride, then you really need to get it topically - via toothpaste and/or a mouthrinse. ACT is really amazing stuff for this end. If you call them up, they will send you all the studies that they did on their mouthwash. Some people prefer listerine or scope - but many often complain that these mouthwashes are extremely harsh in taste (I am one of the many). The people here at UB's dental school who did many of the studies concerning the various mouthwashes conclude that ACT IS the best. Not that that really means anything...it's just a minority consensus from one of the top research schools in the country.

Scandalous has the right answer. Different rinses for different application. ACT is not the best at killing bugs, listerine is.

 

[swiminh2o]

I started using Listerene over a month ago. At first I felt like I was rinsing with Tabasco sauce but I quickly got used to it. It is amazing how much better my teeth feel! My routine is that I floss then rinse then brush and my teeth seem all the happier for it.

PS. I have naturally flouridated water from a well. It actually slightly exceeds the health departments dosage recommendation. Will that make my kids have superteeth or be detrimental to their teeth in any way?