Does my child need a mouthwash?

Improve your child's smile and Oral Health 

Encouraging children to start a good oral hygiene routine at a young age is highly beneficial for their dental and overall health. Regular teeth brushing, flossing, and arranging regular dental visits will ensure your child's proper oral health and prevent dental health issues. But how about using a mouthwash? Is mouthwash safe and necessary for your child's teeth? Well, the answer is: it depends.  

Take a look at these questions!

• How old is your child!? 
• Can your child handle rinsing well? 
• How about the mouthwash? Is it an alcohol mouthwash or an alcohol-free mouthwash? 
• Are you talking about adult mouthwashes or kids mouthwashes? 
• Does the mouth rinse have the Australian Dental AssociationSeal of Approval?
• Are you buying the mouthwash according to professional advice from a paediatric dentist?
• Do you want to buy mouthwash for your child to replace brushing or flossing?! 

Be with our Brisbane paediatric dentists to learn the benefits, risks, and appropriate use of mouthwash for kids.

Benefits of Mouthwash

What does mouthwash do for kids?

Rinsing with mouthwash has many advantages for a person's oral health and can be put in your oral hygiene routine, as long as it is accompanied by brushing and flossing to avoid dental problems. 

• Mouthwash can provide extra protection against cavities, especially mouthwashes with fluoride. Mouthwashes with fluoride have cavity-protection properties and will strengthen children teeth.
• Using mouthwash prevents bad breath and can help your kids enjoy a fresher breath. Using a therapeutic mouthwash can freshen your child's breath by fighting odour-causing bacteria.
• Mouthwash can help remove plaque and food particles between the teeth when brushing and flossing.
• Mouthwashes can strengthen your child's teeth and prevent cavities and tooth decay. Mouthwash can also keep your children gums healthy by getting rid of extra plaque and food particles in the mouth.

Mouthwashes cannot be considered a replacement for good brushing and flossing habits, neither for you nor your kids. You are supposed to brush your teeth twice a day and floss regularly to have healthy teeth, a healthy mouth, and prevent bad breath.

Mouthwash is just there to provide extra support for your teeth.

At what age can children use mouthwash?

Is mouthwash safe for kids?

Paediatric dentists get a lot from concerned parents: Is it safe to use mouthwash for kids? That's a great question! The important factor in using mouthwash for young kids is their age. While mouthwash and mouth rinse can offer many benefits for oral health, they are not safe for all age groups. 

According to the American Dental Association, using mouthwash is not safe for young children under six years old because they may not use mouthwash safely. 

But why is that? 

Kids under age six may swallow mouthwash since their swallowing reflexes are not fully developed. Plus, if kids start to use mouthwash rinses too early, chances are they experience a dental condition called fluorosis. Fluorosis is not a medical condition; it is a dental condition characterised by white markings on the teeth. It is the result of a child's exposure to fluoride, either fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash, during the first few years of their life when permanent teeth are forming.

Parents are highly recommended to store mouthwash in a locking cabinet or a high shelf to ensure their child cannot reach the bottle. Kids usually enjoy the colourful, attractive packaging of mouthwash or consider it a tasty beverage because of its fun flavours and have the temptation to swallow a large amount of the mouthwash. Swallowing a large amount of mouthwash can harm kids and cause vomiting, intoxication, and nausea.

Just like toothpaste, mouthwashes and mouth rinses should be thoroughly spat out from the mouth. Since young kids under age six cannot be trusted at rinsing and spitting out all the mouthwash in their mouth, parents are recommended to avoid adding this oral hygiene product to their young children oral health routine. 

Using mouthwash for kids older than six is perfectly safe, as long as parents are sure that their kids can handle rinsing. If older children can handle rinsing, they can most probably handle mouthwash. 

Finally, when a child starts to use mouthwash, it's best to observe them and ensure they know exactly how to use it safely and properly.

At what age can children use mouthwash?

Is mouthwash safe for kids?

Paediatric dentists get a lot from concerned parents: Is it safe to use mouthwash for kids? That's a great question! The important factor in using mouthwash for young kids is their age. While mouthwash and mouth rinse can offer many benefits for oral health, they are not safe for all age groups. 

According to the American Dental Association, using mouthwash is not safe for young children under six years old because they may not use mouthwash safely. 

But why is that? 

Kids under age six may swallow mouthwash since their swallowing reflexes are not fully developed. Plus, if kids start to use mouthwash rinses too early, chances are they experience a dental condition called fluorosis. Fluorosis is not a medical condition; it is a dental condition characterised by white markings on the teeth. It is the result of a child's exposure to fluoride, either fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash, during the first few years of their life when permanent teeth are forming.

Parents are highly recommended to store mouthwash in a locking cabinet or a high shelf to ensure their child cannot reach the bottle. Kids usually enjoy the colourful, attractive packaging of mouthwash or consider it a tasty beverage because of its fun flavours and have the temptation to swallow a large amount of the mouthwash. Swallowing a large amount of mouthwash can harm kids and cause vomiting, intoxication, and nausea.

Just like toothpaste, mouthwashes and mouth rinses should be thoroughly spat out from the mouth. Since young kids under age six cannot be trusted at rinsing and spitting out all the mouthwash in their mouth, parents are recommended to avoid adding this oral hygiene product to their young children oral health routine. 

Using mouthwash for kids older than six is perfectly safe, as long as parents are sure that their kids can handle rinsing. If older children can handle rinsing, they can most probably handle mouthwash. 

Finally, when a child starts to use mouthwash, it's best to observe them and ensure they know exactly how to use it safely and properly.

Best mouthwash for Kids

What kind of mouthwash to get for kids

Please make sure you ask your child's paediatric dentist before deciding on purchasing children's mouthwash.

Generally, kids should use alcohol-free mouthwash because swallowing alcohol is harmful to a child's growing body. Even swallowing small amounts of alcohol is not safe for kids.

Adult mouthwashes may contain alcohol to fight off the invasive bacteria growing along the gumline and on the teeth. While alcohol mouthwash is perfectly safe to be used for adults, kids will not benefit from these types of mouthwashes.

Here we provide you with different general oral health topics to promote understanding. Parents are strongly advised to consult a dentist or other qualified healthcare provider about any concerns regarding their child's oral or medical health. 

Call us if you need a consultation or an appointment to improve your little one's oral health. You can also book online.