Ask the Experts

Dental Dangers

Okay, gross question incoming. I have a roommate whom I like a lot, and who is otherwise a very normal guy (I promise). We’ve both been enjoying the freedom of our freshman year, and we’ve both been doing things that I’m sure wouldn’t be allowed under our parents’ roofs. But he’s chosen to rebel in one way that’s, uh, kind of disgusting.

We were both getting ready for bed at the same time the other day and I noticed he didn’t brush his teeth. Okay, kind of weird, but I let it go (it was a late night). But the next morning I saw him take a quick swig-and-spit of mouthwash and start to head out, so I asked him if he’d brushed his teeth. Turns out, he almost never does–once a week, he says, if that. I was appalled, but he claims his mouthwash routine works just as well. I know that’s not true, but I was wondering just how much worse my roommate’s routine is than, you know, the normal one.


Yikes! Your roommate is making a serious mistake, dental professionals told us. His mouth may feel fresh and clean after a quick rinse with mouthwash, but he’s going to have very serious dental issues down the line if he doesn’t shape up.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with a little mouthwash. Mouthwash is proven to kill germs, and studies show it to be quite helpful in combating plaque and gingivitis. Your roommate’s mouth would be even grosser without his mouthwash habit, and his breath would be absolutely awful!

But here’s the thing, your dental hygiene isn’t only about germs and bacteria. While it helps to clear those out, there are other big villains in the dental world, including a couple big ones that mouthwash can’t do much about.

We’re talking about plaque and tartar. If you’ve ever gone to a routine dental cleaning (and hopefully you have–dentists recommend visiting at least once a year), then you know what it’s like to have tartar scraped off your teeth. It’s not fun, but it’s necessary–and how much tartar you have is largely a result of your brushing habits. Here’s the lowdown from the dentists who know: Tartar is a hardened form of dental plaque, and plaque is a biofilm of bacteria on your teeth. Mouthwash may kill some of that bacteria, but to get the plaque off of your teeth, you need something gently abrasive–which is why we brush our teeth.

It’s important to use toothpaste, of course, because it helps kill off the bacteria–but without the brushing action, the bacteria remains undisrupted, and it may not be affected by your friend’s mouthwash efforts. So while your friend may associate that minty-fresh taste with clean teeth, the fact is that his routine gives him the feeling of clean teeth with few of the actual results. Bacteria is still hanging out in your friend’s mouth, tucked safely into plaque that is turning to tartar, and unless he shapes up and starts brushing (and, yes, flossing, too), he is going to end up with a mouthful of tartar and possibly tooth decay, cavities, and other terrible teeth problems. Unless he’s planning on some very unpleasant trips to the dentist in the not-too-distant future, it’s time to him to start taking better care of his teeth in the present.

“I wrote a song about dental floss but did anyone’s teeth get cleaner?” — Frank Zappa

Martin J. Young is a former correspondent of Asia Times.