I am NOT a fan of most of the mouthwashes out there. Especially Listerine, which is a low-level antibacterial mouthwash that recent studies have shown that long-term use is an independent risk factor for developing hypertension & prediabetes /diabetes. See the following studies:
Over-the-counter mouthwash use and risk of pre-diabetes/diabetes:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628144/
OVER-THE-COUNTER MOUTHWASH USE, NITRIC OXIDE AND HYPERTENSION RISK:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628144/
Recent studies using “The gold standard” antibacterial mouthwash Chlorhexidine have shown that it completely knocks out the oral microbiome in healthy individuals.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34418463/
Antibacterial mouthwashes make the mouth acidic and shift the oral microbiome toward dysbiosis. Ending up with a less diverse microbiome, which leads to downstream effects for the rest of the body.
One of the main reasons we see these detrimental effects is that healthy oral microbiomes have nitrogen-fixing bacteria that produce the “miracle molecule” Nitric Oxide. This gaseous signaling molecule helps our immune system to move towards infections, opens up our blood vessels, increases optimal delivery of oxygen to the body, and helps lower blood pressure.
Instead of mouth wash we will focus on Real Food, brushing our teeth with electric toothbrushes, using water flossers, and flossing our teeth. This will help balance the oral microbiome and select for symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria for creating nitric oxide. This enhances our salvia’s protective role to buffer acid, deliver minerals to the teeth, and fight off infections.
There is still room for other mouthwashes, but you will need to stay tuned for some suggestions on that front!