Why We Mix Water With Chlorhexidine Mouthwash Before Use?

In the market there are various types of mouthwash, but some are more effective than others. Many mouthwash requires water to mix with them before using them but there are some mouthwash like chlorhexidine where you should not mix water with it. It itself works as a medicine to treat gingivitis.

Why We Mix Water With Chlorhexidine Mouthwash Before Use?

The mouthwash is the ideal complement to your daily dental hygiene . 

Each person requires a type of mouthwash or mouthwash tailored to their needs. 

There are different mouthwash formulas: anticaries, healing, gingivitis and periodontitis , halitosis, sensitive teeth, dry mouth ...

The chlorhexidine is considered by many the best mouthwash. 

It is an aqueous solution with therapeutic active ingredients used mainly for the prevention and treatment of oral conditions, such as gingivitis or periodontitis through the reduction of bacterial plaque.

It will always be the dentist who will recommend the use of one type or another of mouthwash and it may be advisable to ask if the combination of toothpaste and mouthwash is appropriate or effective for us.

The use of chlorhexidine

The Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic professional indication having different utilities in dentistry. 

It is usually used for the treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis, the prevention of infections before interventions in which surgery is necessary (extractions, implants ) or in the healing of lesions of the oral mucosa. 

But what does antiseptic mean? 

Antiseptic substances are those that serve to inhibit the proliferation of microorganisms and prevent their pathogenic action without harming the higher organisms. 

So chlorhexidine is used to fight bacteria that act on the living tissues of our mouth.

Treatment with this type of antiseptic usually lasts several days and is applied with the amount prescribed by the dentist. 

If we are using a chlorhexidine rinse, we should not mix it with water , since this mouthwash is already prepared at the right proportion.

The chlorhexidine has two main actions depending on the concentration at which it is used:

Antiplaque action . A slowly dissolving chlorhexidine deposit forms on all dental surfaces, which makes it antiplate.

Antibacterial action . It is bacteriostatic (stopping the growth of microorganisms) at low concentrations and bactericidal (destroying bacteria) in high concentrations.

Isn't brushing enough?

To carry out a thorough oral hygiene , in addition to regular visits to the specialist (which can undergo professional cleaning) and the use of toothpaste, you must add dental floss to clean the spaces between the teeth.

But, even taking this hygiene regime, it is also advisable to use rinses or mouthwashes, as recommended by Francisco J. Enrile de Rojas and Antonio Santos-Alemany in his study Mouthwash for the control of plaque and gingivitis based on scientific evidence .

Antiseptic mouthwashes, which are based on chlorhexidine, penetrate the bacterial biofilm. 

In our mouth it is estimated that more than 700 species of bacteria can be found. 

Their presence is normal in an environment like that of the oral cavity, but if these microorganisms achieve an ideal environment for overgrowth they are organized, growing in the form of a community called biofilm. 

The objective is to alter the quantity or quality of plaque , so that the immune system can control the bacteria and prevent the onset and / or progression of periodontal diseases.

In summary, mouthwashes, and in particular chlorhexidine, decrease plaque formation and gingivitis, even in hard-to-reach areas, having excellent safety and tolerability characteristics.

Disadvantages

The chlorhexidine has certain disadvantages that must be considered before administration.

First, chlorhexidine can cause dark spots and stains on the teeth and tongue . 

These unwanted effects that are usually the result of continued use have not been observed regularly with other rinses such as compounds based on essential oils, although they are less effective. 

But it should be noted that these spots or stains are removed in clinic with professional hygiene .

In addition, being an antiseptic that must be prescribed by a professional , it should never be provided on its own initiative without prior consultation by the patient, because improper use can cause aggressions in the beneficial bacterial community that is lodged in the mouth.

The chlorhexidine ultimately is the most effective mouthwash, but also that we have more precautions . 

Not surprisingly, there are other antiseptics that can also be used if the dentist considers it appropriate, such as Triclosan or Hexetidine.