Anti-cavity mouthwash comparison:

If you're like me, you probably didn't used to give a lot of thought to your teeth. When I was a kid I definitely didn't want to go to the dentist and to this day I have yet to meet a child that does like dentists. However as I got older I had a revelation where I figured out that the better I took care of my teeth the less painful and dreadful the dentist's office would be. So I did the usual, brushed twice daily and flossed (just like the dentist tells me every time he sees me) but I wanted a little extra insurance to make sure that when I went to see the dentist I didn't have to worry about him finding a soft-spot or cavity. For this purpose I looked into the various anti-cavity rinses that are available. It is important to note that anti-cavity rinses are different than other mouthwashes you might see like Listerine because anti-cavity rinses have fluoride in them to strengthen tooth enamel and help fight tooth decay. Listerine on the other hand, does a spectacular job of cleaning out one's mouth and fighting gingivitis (pretty much the reason your gums bleed when you floss) but does nothing for your tooth enamel.There are two anti-cavity rinses that I prefer, depending on where I decide to go shopping when I need some more; ACT restoring mouthwash and Equate anti-cavity rinse.

I'll start with Equate anti-cavity rinse first.This is in my opinion the better tasting of the two mouthwashes and it is alcohol free which I think will make it easier to use for kids if you are teaching them good oral hygiene habits. In addition to this, if you floss your teeth before or have a canker sore or cut in your gums the Equate will not burn like a product with alcohol will. The other reason that I prefer Equate, besides taste, is that if you read the drug facts on the back of the bottle you will see that Equate has .05% sodium fluoride content. Now this may seem like a small number but it's a big deal. With the .05% fluoride you only need to use it once per day for full effect (at least according to the back of the bottle). Personally I like to use it after brushing and flossing at night. The alcohol free Equate keeps my mouth from getting dry as I'm getting ready to sleep which is nice because you will not be able to drink or eat for 30 minutes after using it which can sometimes make it a pain to use in the morning before starting your day.

 Next up is the ACT restoring mouthwash which is not a bad anti-cavity rinse by any means. It has a taste some some people (like my girlfriend) prefer with their mouth rinses over Equate's. The issue that I have with ACT and why I prefer Equate is the fact that the ACT rinse only has .02% sodium fluoride instead of .05%. Now, ACT may have a type that has .05% but I have not seen it at any of my local stores when I'm looking at the drug facts on the back of the bottles so I will assume for now that .02% is what we are working with when using ACT products. The .02% is still good and can protect your teeth just like the Equate does but the catch is that you will need to use the product twice per day rather than once. It even states this on the back of the bottle:

 If you have a solid morning and night routine this twice daily usage will not be any issue. But you must keep in mind that regardless of what anti-cavity fluoride product you are using, you cannot eat or drink for 30 minutes after using it or else its effects will be reduced or possibly nonexistent. You also might think about how if you are using it twice per day you will probably be going through bottles quicker than using it once per day. It may sound like I'm badmouthing ACT but I want to stress that I'm not! I use ACT myself occasionally and am confident that it is a solid product. I just personally prefer Equate because I only have to use it once per day. ACT does give you the comfort of buying from a big name-brand company and they have several selections of flavors and types of rinse. I have also noticed that ACT Restoring mouthwash does deliver on its promise of freshening breath, which Equate does not do, so for those of you who don't want to buy two mouthwashes and want a breath freshener and a fluoride rinse all in one, ACT might be the one for you. Just remember to use it twice a day instead of once for the best results.

Finally I want to say that I'm not a dentist but I think most would agree with me that these rinses are NOT EVER a substitute for good brushing and flossing habits. You should still brush your teeth regularly with good toothpaste and floss afterward to keep your gums and teeth healthy. For those of you however, that want a little additional protection and comfort, I recommend giving Equate anticavity fluoride rinse or ACT restoring mouthwash a try.