Best Mouthwash Tablets
Looking for a mobile alternative to mouthwash liquids? Search no more — mouthwash tablets are here to save the day. There are days when you may have to stay out for days, hence making your bathroom inaccessible. On days like these, you need to have protection against bad breath.
Mouthwash tablets are as effective as their liquid counterparts. With a mouthful of water and one tablet, you are good to go. In this guide, we will recommend the best mouthwash tablets out there.
A Closer Look at Mouthwash Tablets
Mouthwash tablets are dry oral care tablets with maximum impact when dissolved in water. Moreover, you can either dissolve it in water or activate it after placing the mouthwash tab in your mouth.
If liquid mouthwash plastics’ wastefulness and negative environmental impact bother you, mouthwash tablets are an eco-friendly alternative. The zero-waste toothpaste tablets are also pocket friendly.
Several dissolvable tablet formulas exist, but the two basic components of an average tablet are the bicarbonate of soda and an acid. Manufacturers use weak acids in safe proportions, don’t worry about the acid.
When the combination of the two ingredients is hydrolyzed (meaning dissolved in water), carbon dioxide is released, giving you the popular fizzing effect of dissolved tablets.
Depending on the manufacturer, the tablet can be flavored with food-grade essential oils like spearmint and peppermint. Also, it is not uncommon for mouthwash companies to include safe preservatives in their mouth tab formula to up the product’s shelf-life.
How do you use mouthwash tablets?
One of the benefits of mouthwash tablets is convenience. In its solid state, a tablet cannot have optimal effects. To activate one, add water to it. Insert two mouthwash tablets of any brand into a 200ml glass cup of clean water. You will notice a fizzing effect as the effervescent tablet dissolves.
In less than three minutes, it should dissolve at room temperature. Note that no heating or boiling is required. Take a mouthful of the solution and rinse your teeth and gums in under one minute. Then, spit it out.
Please do not under any circumstance swallow the solution. It is meant to be spitted out, not ingested. If you mistakenly swallow the solution, please visit your doctor for an appropriate checkup.
The mouthwash tablet can be used as:
- Daily mouth refresher and a perfect alternative for the liquid mouthwash.
- An antiseptic mouth gargle and mouthwash before or after dental care.
- Debris and saliva remover to minimize surface tension before a patient is administered a clinical mouthwash.
- Blood and tooth debris remover when a patient is being operated on.
- Post-surgery treatment. Dentists often recommend certain mouthwash tablets to patients to heal inflammations and sores caused by surgery. Mouthwash tabs are preferred to toothpaste because brushing can further damage the inflamed gums.
- Treatment for canker sores.
- Measure to prevent complications in pregnant women with periodontal disease. Some periodontal disorders can cause premature labor in pregnant women. As a result of bacteria influx from the mother’s mouth into the bloodstream, the synthesis of inflammatory markers would increase, and the pregnant woman would experience intense contractions.
Chewing mouthwash tablets and swishing several times in the day can help avoid uncomfortable contractions and reduce the amount of oral bacteria present.
What to know about Mouthwash Tablets
While mouthwash tablets have their pros, they are not without a few disadvantages. You have to be cautious when using these mouthwash tablets, especially when administering them to a child.
Serious health hazards in children between the ages of six and twelve if ingested
When brushing kids’ teeth, you would realize that they sometimes swallow toothpaste. Do not use mouthwash tabs for children under six years. Swallowing large amounts of mouthwash tablets can lead to convulsions or comatose. If you must use mouthwash tabs for your child, supervise them thoroughly. And keep the tablets away from their reach after they swish.
Stain or darken teeth
Chlorhexidine gluconate, one of the ingredients of mouthwashes, can stain or darken your teeth when it reacts with food additives remnant in the mouth. It is advisable to always brush before using mouthwash tabs. Better still, avoid mouthwash tablets with chlorhexidine gluconate.
Never a substitute for brushing
As mentioned earlier, mouthwash tablets are not good alternatives for toothpaste. It can only conceal the bad breath for a short while. The best time to use a tablet is after brushing your teeth. Using mouthwash tablets instead of brushing will only compound your bad breath issues.
Is fluoride mouthwash good for you?
Fluoride mouthwashes are not advisable as frequently as regular mouthwashes. They are applied to the teeth to strengthen tooth enamel and tackle cavities. Naturally, the fluoride mineral is good for the teeth. Also, it protects your teeth from the negative influence of acid and bacteria. Fluoride mouthwashes should not be used for children below 6 years of age.
To get maximum benefits from a fluoride mouthwash, it has to be used regularly. It must be noted that the fluoride mouthwash, or any mouthwash for that matter, is never a replacement for your normal brushing ritual. Always brush before using a fluoride mouthwash.
Stick to the doctor’s prescription when using a fluoride mouthwash. Exceeding the prescribed dosage will do more harm than protect you. The fluoride mouthwash is safe and quite effective as an anti-cavity mouthwash.
Do Listerine tablets contain alcohol?
Listerine tablets are alcohol-free and sugar-free. Unlike Listerine tablets, Listerine mouthwashes contain ethanol and other ingredients that can upset one’s stomach if ingested.
Things to consider when choosing the Best Mouthwash Tablets
Here are a few things to look out for when choosing a mouthwash tablet to choose for your oral health:
Active Cleanser
Know first that a great mouthwash tablet is not always the one with an intense, peppery minty sensation. Look at the antibacterial property in the tablet – that’s the cleaning deal! Most mouthwashes contain an alcohol-based antibacterial agent plus a whitener (mild bleaching agent, e.gChloropropyl) as their active cleanser.
Dentists recommend a natural whitening agent such as activated charcoal for users with gum sensitivity. A cleansing formula, sometimes, by the rule of thumb, ought to be an SLS-free, fluoride-free formula for maximum gum benefits.
Active Diluents (Binder/base/Sweetener)
Every tablet (chewable or non-chewable) is made consistent with a binder. A good effervescent tablet will have a binder that allows the tablet to disintegrate (make soluble) easily in water at an optimum pH.
A good binder like Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is an effective binder for effervescent tablets. Mannitol, Xylitol, Sorbitol, or Inositol-based effervescent tablets provide the optimum soothing effect on the soft-tissue lining and the throat. Malic and citric acid are other additives that help to strengthen the enamel.
Any other alcohol base with too much zest might desensitize taste sensors or irritate the oral cavity and the pouch lining. You want to be sure that non-cariogenic less-fermentable sweeteners are added to the tablet – this is critical for people managing diabetes.
Sweeteners may ferment at the slightest interaction with any aqueous component of the tablet or when moisture kicks in – which is why they are avoided in long-lasting mouthwash.
Natural/Synthetic Ingredients
Peppermint (for a menthol-soothing effect), and thyme extract (with thymol as an antimicrobial agent), among other natural ingredients, are healthy as natural/organic products and are safer than synthetic analogs that may precipitate sore mouth reactions.
It would be perfect if you could buy tablets containing all-natural ingredients.
Packaging
Most tablets are in the packaging of opalescent or opaque containers due to their labile components (e.g., alcohol-based), which can reduce the tablet’s strength when exposed to too much sunlight. Clean antiseptic glass containers or single-use plastic seals are ideal for packaging effervescent mouthwash tablets.
Top 3 best mouthwash tablets on the market
From research on quality eco-friendly mouthwash tablets found in the market, here are a few tablets for good oral hygiene:
Dr. Ginger’s Mouthwash Tablets
Price: $8.95
Dr. Ginger’s Mouthwash is a coconut Mint flavor mouthwash. Its formula is as raw as the whitener obtained from coconut extract. It is made of a non-cariogenic sugar alcohol base, xylitol, which is ordinarily an artificial sweetener with high solubility in water.
Dr. Ginger’s Mouthwash Tablets are popular for the power of coconuts to brighten teeth, refresh breath, and support healthy gums.
Pros
- It is fluoride-free.
- It is all-natural (non-GMO zero waste mouthwash)
- This mouthwash is also gluten-free
- It is mild on the gums and mouth lining
Cons
The tablets are tiny. However, they need less water to dissolve and are more compact to move about than common collapsible toothpaste.
Active Wow Mouthwash Tabs with Baking Soda
Price: $24.99
These lush mouthwash chewable tablets contain baking soda, mint, and spirulina. It is good for managing bad breath. It has a mixed base containing an organic peppermint oil that helps maintain good oral health for a long-lasting period.
The tabs serve as cruelty-free toothpaste tablets for regular brushing. You need to apply it over dry teeth and dampen up with the slightest saliva mix. At mouth pH, it dissolves readily and disperses across the gums.
This mouthwash product is a way to freshen up your breath. A natural and effective ingredient helps to freshen your breath. Spirulina is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. It also gives these tabs a beautiful blue hue.
Sorbitol is a common natural sweetening agent and a non-cariogenic, so it helps protect against tooth decay. Mint provides a refreshing burst of menthol to keep your breath fresh around the clock.
Pros
- It helps prevent tooth decay
- The components are all-natural ingredients
- A regular mouthwash with minty fresh breath
- It is a concentrated mouthwash free from harsh chemicals
Cons
- The taste may be off-putting for some users
- It’s a little pricey
Listerine Ready! Tabs Chewable Tablets with Clean Mint Flavor
Prices: $11.99
This is a gluten-free mouthwash toothpaste capsule with no artificial sweetener, flavor, or color. Clean Mint flavor provides a revolutionary way to unleash the clean feeling of Listerine mouthwash.
Listerine Ready! Tabs work harder than typical gums and mints to clean and freshen your mouth. Chew these fresh breath tablets to activate, swish to clean your whole mouth, swallow, and restores dry mouth. It helps heal broken gum and scaly mouth lining.
Pros
- It is all-natural
- Clean Mint helps to maintain an odor-free mouth
- It is gluten-free
- No cariogenic lactose
Cons
- Not suitable for children under age 4.
Final Thoughts
Watch out for unusual gum reactions to alcohol base, peppermint, and other chemicals in synthetic mouthwash toothpaste chewable tablets. If you notice gum inflammation or soreness after mouthwash tablets, please stop using the product immediately and report to your doctor.
Thoroughly supervise your kids when administering mouthwash tablets. Ensure they do not swallow the tablet. The best way to administer these tablets to kids is to dissolve them in water. If they mistakenly swallow the mouthwash, take them for a proper checkup with a professional doctor.
