What’s the Best Mouthwash for Bad Breath?

What’s the Best Mouthwash for Bad Breath?

Best Mouth Wash for Bad Breath

Mouthwash and Bad BreathDid you know that as many as half of all Americans say that they suffer from bad breath?

Many people have turned to mouthwash to try to curb their oral odor, but does mouthwash really help fight bad breath?  If so, which one is the best?

Mouthwash Can Fight Bad Breath

Many mouthwashes used to simply provide a strong, pleasant aroma to cover up bad breath.  As time passed, mouthwash manufacturers began adding certain ingredients to their mouthwashes to help fight bad breath.

Today, there are many varieties of mouthwash available.  Although most of them have flavors that would appear to freshen your breath, only mouthwashes that contain certain ingredients are able to help fight bad breath.
Researchers wanted to find out whether or not mouthwashes actually helped fight bad breath.  The following quote is from a systematic review that combined the results of five different studies to determine the following:
“This review, which included ﬁve trials (293 participants), found that there is some evidence that mouthrinses containing antibacterial agents such as chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride or those containing chlorine dioxide and zinc can to some extent reduce the unpleasant odour but the use of mouthrinses containing chlorhexidine resulted in noticeable but temporary staining of the tongue and teeth.”

As long as the mouthwash contains an antibacterial agent such as chlorhexidine or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) or zinc and/or chlorine dioxide, it may be able to fight bad breath.

Before trying a mouthwash to control your bad breath, try one of these five methods to find out if you have bad breath and then try to find out what is causing your bad breath by learning about some common causes of bad breath.

Which Mouthwash Is Best for Bad Breath?

In the United States, mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine are only available by prescription. The only antibacterial that this review found to be effective against bad breath that is also available over the counter in the United States is CPC. CPC in combination with zinc can be found in many mouthwashes.

Breath Rx Mouthwash
Breath Rx mouthwash can fight bad breath

This BreathRx mouthwash from Amazon contains CPC as well as zinc to neutralize bad breath-causing volatile sulfur compounds. Crest Pro Health mouthwashes are another alternative, but they have been the target of some rather negative reviews.

You may be wondering where other mouthwash products such as Listerine fit in. Listerine contains a variety of essential oils that decrease bad breath. Although Listerine was shown to decrease bad breath in many of the studies that were reviewed, products containing an antibacterial along with zinc were shown to do a better job at fighting bad breath.

Is Mouthwash the Best Method of Fighting Bad Breath?

Although many people use mouthwash because it is easy to simply rinse their mouth out, there are other ways of fighting bad breath.  Good oral hygiene along with cleaning your tongue has been shown to reduce bad breath.  Getting rid of the pl

Do you have any questions or comments about mouthwash and bad breath?  Leave your comments below.  Thanks for reading!


  1. I work at a dental office and we recommend using CloSYS for bad breath. We have found it very gentle and effective at eliminating bad breath, and not just covering it up like the many mouth rinses out there. Non-staining and has the “ability to eliminate the Volatile Sulfur Compounds that cause bad breath and the harmful bacteria that create them…” as quoted from their website.

  2. Another good way to prevent bad breath, assuming that regular flossing and brushing is practiced, is by sipping on water. It works great for me. Avoiding any mouthwash which contain alcohol is also important in bad breath control.

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