I found this awesome recipe to make my own mouthwash. Here are the ingredients:
- Filtered, boiled water (8 oz)
- 3% hydrogen peroxide (8 oz)
- Sea salt (2 TB)
It works great. But, I do have porcelain veneers so I want to make sure it will be okay to use regularly?
-Janice in Illinois
Janice,
The good news is that your homemade mouthwash doesn’t contain alcohol, which may soften the bonding agent to keep the porcelain veneers in place. Alcohol has also been known to increase the risk for them to pick up stains.
However, the hydrogen peroxide is concerning. Usually it is okay for a short time. But, isn’t a good idea for regular use. Hydrogen peroxide kills micro-organisms because it releases oxygen. This means good and bad bacteria will be killed. So, the bacteria that fight off gum disease will be compromised. It will also kill beneficial microbes that are present in your mouth. This means other micro-organisms will thrive since the beneficial ones are gone. One of them is yeast, also known as candida albicans.
So, even though it may be helpful at the beginning. Regular use, over a couple of weeks or more, may leave you with an oral yeast infection since the candida albicans will have free reign. The symptoms of an oral yeast infection are unpleasant – raw, painful patches in your mouth and areas will turn white.
There are many different types of mouthwashes that do not contain alcohol. Also, it should be mentioned that you do not need mouthwash if you keep up with your regular dental hygiene habits at home. But, if you still elect to use it regularly, you need to find an alcohol-free version to protect your porcelain veneers.
This post is sponsored by a cosmetic dentist in Barrington, James T. Gavrilos, DDS.