Brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily are oral care essentials. Mouthwash, on the other hand, isn’t exactly a necessary part of your routine. Think of it as a way to enhance your oral care routine, says Dr. Chris Salierno, the chief dental officer at Tend, a dental studio company with several locations in major cities including New York City, Boston and Washington DC. “Mouthwash is a great addition, but it should complement, not replace, brushing and flossing,” he says. “It can quickly apply special ingredients to your teeth, gums and other oral surfaces for an intended effect, like freshening breath, preventing cavities and protecting against gum disease.”

I talked to dentists to learn how to choose a mouthwash and how often you should use it. I also rounded up a handful of options from brands like Act, Colgate and Listerine.

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With all of that in mind, I rounded up ADA-accepted options available over the counter. I included important information about each mouthwash, like its type, purpose, active ingredients and what flavors it comes in. Every option is also alcohol-free.

Listerine’s Clinical Solutions Sensitive Teeth Mouthwash won an NBC Select Wellness Award for best overall mouthwash this year. “This is the one that finally turned me into a mouthwash person,” says NBC Select senior editor Nikki Brown. She likes that it doesn’t sting her mouth or irritate her gums, but is not so mild that it feels like it isn’t doing anything. It’s alcohol-free, has a fresh mint flavor and it’s suitable for sensitive teeth, according to the brand.

I’ve been using this Act fluoride mouthwash ever since my dentist recommended it to me years ago. It helps prevent cavities, strengthen enamel and freshen breath, according to the brand. I buy the mint flavor, which is concentrated enough to leave my mouth feeling fresh and clean, but subtle enough that it doesn’t last for too long. I appreciate that the bottle’s opening has a built-in dosage cup — you hold the bottle upright, squeeze its center to fill the line on the top and pour it into a cup. You need to give the fluoride in this mouthwash time to work once it’s on your teeth, so the brand recommends not eating or drinking for 30 minutes after rinsing.

NBC Select commerce editor Cory Fernandez uses TheraBreath’s mouthwash because it’s gentle and doesn’t sting his gums. He also likes that it comes in various mild flavors, including fresh mint and chamomile mint. It’s also a favorite of NBC Select intern Kalohe Danbara, who uses it every morning and night to keep her breath fresh throughout the day. The mouthwash kills odor-causing bacteria and gets rid of bad breath for up to 24 hours when you use it every 12 hours after brushing, according to the brand. You can use the bottle’s cap to measure the appropriate serving of mouthwash.

“Because my mom is a dental hygienist, she’s always bringing home oral care products and recommended this mouthwash to me because it’s great for the overall health of my mouth,” says former NBC Select associate reporter Bianca Alvarez. “I use it after brushing and flossing, and I feel like my teeth are cleaner overall and my mouth feels more fresh.” Colgate’s rinse fights the bacteria that contributes to issues like gingivitis, plaque and bad breath for up to 24 hours after use, according to the brand. It’s also made with zinc to help freshen breath. I’ve tried the peppermint flavor of this mouthwash, which has a strong flavor that quickly gets rid of lingering tastes from food or beverages.

CloSys’ anticavity mouthwash has a non-burning, non-irritating, pH-balanced formula that strengthens tooth enamel and freshens breath, according to the brand. Since the mouthwash has fluoride in it, the brand recommends not eating or drinking for 30 minutes after rinsing.

Listerine’s mouthwash helps strengthen enamel, prevent cavities and freshen breath, according to the brand. It has a mild taste, and since it’s made with fluoride, the brand recommends not eating or drinking for 30 minutes after rinsing.

The ingredients in this rinse by Biotène help moisturize the mouth to relieve dryness and related symptoms like chapped lips, stickiness and bad breath for up to four hours after use, according to the brand. You can use the mouthwash up to five times a day.

White spots sometimes form on teeth when you have braces due to plaque buildup and enamel loss around the brackets and wires. Colgate’s mouthwash helps prevent them by strengthening enamel with fluoride, which also prevents cavities, according to the brand. The bottle’s cap has a measurement marker inside it to help you pour out the appropriate amount of rinse.

Once kids outgrow cartoons on their dental care products, you may want to start buying them a mouthwash like this one instead. It still comes in fruity flavors, but its packaging feels a little more grown up. Act’s mouthwash helps prevent cavities and strengthen enamel, and since it’s made with fluoride, the brand recommends not eating and drinking for 30 minutes after rinsing. The bottle has a built-in dosage cup — you hold the bottle upright, squeeze its center to fill the line on the top and pour it into a cup.

“I’m not a fan of mint-flavored anything, which is very unfortunate in a world where mint is the primary note in every oral care product,” says NBC Select editorial operations associate Jem Alabi. After trying out Carifree’s alternative flavors like citrus and grape, Alabi uses this mouthwash every night after flossing and before putting on her retainer. Aside from the non-minty flavor options, she likes that the mouthwash doesn’t sting, feels refreshing and keeps morning breath at bay.

Here’s what experts recommend considering while shopping for mouthwash:

• ADA Seal of Acceptance: The American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance is the gold standard when it comes to oral care products. When you see the seal on packaging, it means the brand submitted evidence to the organization showing that its product meets specific safety and efficacy standards. That doesn’t mean dental care products without the ADA’s seal are ineffective — it just means the brand hasn’t submitted their products for the organization to evaluate.
• Type: There are two types of mouthwash: therapeutic and cosmetic. Therapeutic mouthwashes are made with active ingredients that address issues like bacteria, gum disease, plaque, dry mouth and tooth decay, says Salierno. Cosmetic mouthwashes, on the other hand, temporarily freshen breath, but they don’t address the root cause of the issue. Think about your needs and talk to your dentist to determine which type of mouthwash you should use.
• Ingredients: The purpose of a mouthwash dictates what ingredients it’s made with. Therapeutic mouthwashes have active ingredients that target specific issues. For example, fluoride strengthens enamel, reduces decay and prevents cavities; essential oils, like menthol, thymol and eucalyptol, reduce plaque and freshen breath; and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) kills bacteria to reduce bad breath and plaque. Cosmetic mouthwashes, like TheraBreath’s Fresh Breath Oral Rinse, are mainly made with potent flavorings that linger in your mouth to temporarily get rid of bad breath.
• Alcohol: Alcohol, which some mouthwashes are made with, can have a drying effect. If you’re prone to dry mouth or have sensitive gums and cheek tissues, avoid mouthwashes with this ingredient, says Dr. Matt Messina, an associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Kids should not use mouthwashes with alcohol in case they swallow some — thankfully, most kids’ mouthwashes are alcohol-free, says Salierno.

• Flavor: Mouthwashes can have minty, fruity or herbal flavors, some of which are more intense than others. That said, it may take some trial-and-error to find one you like using every day.

At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Dr. Chris Salierno is the chief dental officer at Tend.
• Dr. Matt Messina is an associate professor at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry and the clinic director of Ohio State’s Upper Arlington Dentistry.

I’m a reporter at NBC Select who has covered oral care since 2020, including topics like toothpaste for kids and adults, whitening toothpaste, electric toothbrushes and water flossers. To write this article, I interviewed two dentists about how to shop for mouthwash and rounded up the best options available over-the-counter.

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