Hi all,
Just want to add a little about alcohol containing mouth rinses.
Alcohol dries out the oral tissues. Yes these rinses do reduce bacterial levels initially but, by drying out the tissues and removing and/or damaging the mucous membrane they reduce your bodies natural protective mechanism from working properly. The bacterial levels will return and on occasion go beyond normal levels. The burn you feel when you use them that is marketed as the product cleansing your mouth is actually the bodies response to an irritant, in this case, the effect of the alcohol drying the tissue. If you have impaired salivary gland function or already suffer from dry mouth the alcohol will only make this situation worse and can lead to tooth destruction.
There are many great products on the market that will cleanse your mouth, reduce bacterial levels, prevent bad breath and protect your teeth that do not contain alcohol. Ask your dentist, pharmacist or doctor to recommend one or try one of the products mentioned in previous posts.
Alcohol will also increase the carcinogenic effect of cigarette smoke on the oral tissues. So if you are a smoker first, quit smoking, and if you can't don't make the situation worse by rinsing with alcohol containing mouth rinses.
Cheers,
Mike