Brush up on the science of mouthwash

A woman rinsing her mouth with mouthwash

Source: © Romaset/iStock/Getty Images

What chemicals are in mouthwash and is the time you use it important?

Dental hygiene is a key part of any daily regimen. We use lots of products to keep teeth as healthy, white and gleaming as possible, from toothpaste and floss to mouthwash. But is mouthwash all it’s cracked up to be?

Read this to find out what ingredients give you a minty fresh breath, the antiseptics that kill the good and bad bacteria in your mouth and when the best time to use mouthwash is. Provide context when you teach alcohols, hydrogen bonding and ions too. 

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor. 

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

  • unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
  • teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
  • applications for funding to support your lessons

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.