Mouthwash - Active Ingredients

Active Ingredients

Each commercial brand of mouthwash has different ingredients. The active ingredients are usually alcohol, chlorhexidine gluconate, cetylpyridinium chloride hexetidine, benzoic acid (acts as a buffer), methyl salicylate, benzalkonium chloride, methylparaben, hydrogen peroxide, domiphen bromide and sometimes fluoride, enzymes, and calcium. They can also include essential oils that have some antibacterial properties, like phenol, thymol, eugenol, eucalyptol or menthol. Ingredients also include water, sweeteners such as sorbitol, sucralose, sodium saccharin, and xylitol (which doubles as a bacterial inhibitor).

A study suggested that cetylpyridinium chloride could be as effective as chlorhexidine in mouthwashes. Another study suggested that mouthwashes based on essential oils could be more effective than traditional mouthwashes.

Sometimes a significant amount of alcohol (up to 27% vol) is added, as a carrier for the flavor, to provide "bite". Because of the alcohol content, it is possible to fail a breathalyzer test after rinsing although breath alcohol levels return to normal after 10 minutes. In addition, alcohol is a drying agent and may worsen chronic bad breath. Recently, the possibility that the alcohol used in mouthrinses acts as a carcinogen was raised, but there is to date no scientific consensus on the issue. Commercial mouthwashes usually contain a preservative such as sodium benzoate to preserve freshness once the container has been opened. Many newer brands are alcohol-free and contain odor-elimination agents such as oxidizers, as well as odor-preventing agents such as zinc ion to keep future bad breath from developing.