mouthwash or brush and toothpaste?

Why not use both? I brush my teeth after every meal, and I use mouthwash. I brush to get rid of the plaque on my teeth, and I use mouthwash so my breath smells nice and fresh.

Definitely no, imagine the bath tub, if there was a lot of gunk there and you only used the shower to rinse the bathtub, the stuff would still stay on there. It is best to use all three - first brush your teeth with fluoride toothpast, floss, and then rinse with mouthwash. :)

I use both as I find mouthwash reaches where my toothbrush doesn't and it's very effective. I tend to use toothpaste first thing and then after being awake for awhile I use mouthwash. I did originally use them together but I found if I left it a little while it tended to get more little pieces as straight after brushing it hardly got any.

Mouthwash maybe good to use during the day when you just dont have the time to use a toothbrush and paste. I could not go a whole day without brushing my teeth, they just feel so much cleaner and my breath feels fresher also. If you have problems with sensitive gums then yes maybe using mouthwash will help, but I'm sure the dentist will say nothing beats using a good quality toothbrush and paste.

Mouthwash can not be an alternative to brushing your teeth. It doesn't get the food and germs and plaque from between your teeth and has nothing to do with cleaning them. Mouthwash is only intended for killing the germs around your teeth and your tonge and your gums. If you have no toothpaste or don't have the time to brush with toothpaste, then just brush without anything on your toothbrush. Or if you have some baking soda at home you can make a paste by mixing it with a little bit of water and use it on your toothbrush. If you want to gargle your mouth you can use water with salt in it. It will do about the same thing as mouthwash does. I, personally, don't use mouthwash because it has alchohol in it and it just dries out my mouth and then I feel like I have bad breathe because my mouth feels dry. I think brushing my teeth 3 times a day and making sure I floss, is good enough oral care and I don't think I get bad breath much. Have a good day, your friend Chris

I did not use mouthwash until recently when I had a problem in my gums and my dentist prescribed me one. Well, I used it but I did not like the feeling that follows and remains there for a couple of hours. I don't think mouthwash is a alternative on brushing ones teeth.

hi weeksilent I use listerine often and it does not cause bad breath it eliminates it and I brush my teeth with it and they are just as clean as if I had used the harsh overstrong mint flavored toothpaste I m allergic to. I c annot use the stuff as it is too heavily flavored with false mint flavor. I am very allergic to it and it makes my throat close up, and I have to take a double dose of benadryl for the reaction.

Hi, meeksilent. I use mouthwash now. I always brush my teeth before using mouthwash. This is a big must for me. I have seen my husband just rinse his mouth out with mouthwash when he is in a hurry. And, I just can't do this at all. I have to brush my teeth, it makes my mouth feel so much more cleaner and fresher.

Hi, Brushing teeth is very important and has to do it every day. I brush my teeth with toothbrush(with Darlie toothpaste) twice a day,in the morning and at night before sleep. I do used mouthwash last time,but not now.I like the Oral B mouthwash. It is good to have a good oral hygiene...it keep our breath fresher.

Well for me I do not like to use mouthwash much but if I go on a vaction and forget my tooth brush then I use mouthwash or if I do not have time to brush my teeth then I use mouthwash.

Because I work in a busy office where I deal with customers face to face I use mouth wash right after lunch. No chewing gum. You never know when you ingest something that causes bad breath. One little bottle, duck into bathroom, done.

I don't think a mouthwash is a good alternative to brushing my teeth. Brushing is still important. However I do use a mouthwash that was recommended by my dentist after I brush. It helps kill germs and is supposed to be good for my gums.

Yeah, I agree that mouthwash could be an alternative if you don't have any choice of brushing your teeth. However, I am not really used to using mouthwash in replacement of toothpaste and toothbrush. In fact, I don't really use mouthwash. Even though it feels fresh because of it's minty sensation after gargle, I know at the back of my mind that my teeth were not cleaned because there was no brushing done.

No. Mouthwash is just a supporting activity for brushing your teeth. You can live without mouthwash, but you cannot do without toothpaste and toothbrush. If a toothbrush can't even clean your gums and teeth 100%, how much more by just mouthwash alone?

i think both are the best after you brush your teeth always do mouthwash even before or after brushing your teeth to avoid bad breath.

I use mouthwash quite often but it is not a substitute for brushing your teeth as there are particles of food that get trapped between the teeth that have to be removed or they will cause decay. I use an electric toothbrush that is very thorough in removing problems from the teeth. It has a timer of two minutes which is the recomended teeth cleaning time after each meal. _Derek

Bring a tooth brush and brush with water. If you can bring mouthwash, why can't you bring tooth paste? Doesn't make sense to me. Baking soda works great in place of tooth paste.

No, mouthwash is not a valid alternative for brushing your teeth. Mouthwash is complementary to brushing your teeth, but if you don't use the right tool to get rid of the dirt, you're damaging your dental health. Teeth are important and dentists are expensive, so taking good care of our teeth is a good thing

I am a doctor by profession so if you are asking for my opinion definitely it will be a big no! mouthwashes are there only to freshen your breath not cleaning up your teeth and the dental plaque that we experience after eating meals! So its a big mistake if you take mouthwashes as an alternative for toothbrushes! do your brushing routines daily , at least two times a day but yes when you are going on a date you need fresh breath than you can use a mouthwash to refresh your breath!

mouthwash can never replace the feeling of having a clean teeth through brushing. besides, mouthwash can only makes ones breath fresher, but the remnants of food you ate will not be removed and will just be stuck in between teeth. so its always better to bring toothbrush and toothpaste in your bag wherever you go....