GingiPak Perio Armor Oral Cleansing Gel 1.7%, 3 oz Tubes, 6/Case · Strawberry

Broadly, there are two types of mouthrinse: cosmetic and therapeutic. A cosmetic rinse may temporarily control bad breath and leave a pleasant taste, but has no chemical or biological application beyond that temporary benefit. A therapeutic rinse has active ingredients intended to help control or reduce bad breath, gingivitis, plaque and tooth decay: cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, essential oils, fluoride or peroxide. An oral rinse to reduce the adhesion of dental plaque — a device that reduces bacterial plaque on teeth and oral mucosal surfaces by physical means — is Class II with special controls (21 CFR 872.5580).

Home care is what the patient does between visits, and the ADA treats the time spent on it as essential to minimising the risk of caries and periodontal disease. An ADA page puts a person at about two hours a year in the dental chair against roughly 30 hours a year brushing and cleaning between their teeth. Systematic reviews found a brushing duration of two minutes was associated with a greater reduction in plaque than brushing for one minute. A manual toothbrush is a shaft with natural or synthetic bristles at one end, intended to remove adherent plaque and food debris, and the FDA lists it as a Class I device (21 CFR 872.6855).

Cleaning between the teeth reaches surfaces a brush cannot: the ADA states toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between tight spaces. The ADA notes there may not be one interdental cleaning method for everyone, and that the method for a given patient is the one they will regularly perform.

Sources: ADA Oral Health Topics: Home Oral Care · FDA 21 CFR 872.6855, Manual toothbrush · ADA Oral Health Topics: Floss · FDA 21 CFR 872.6390, Dental floss · ADA Oral Health Topics: Mouthrinse (Mouthwash) · FDA 21 CFR 872.5580, Oral rinse to reduce the adhesion of dental plaque · FDA 21 CFR 872.6650, Massaging pick or tip for oral hygiene