Mouth-rinses for children – A narrative review

Abstract

Mouth rinses are topical agents that can be used after adequate mechanical plaque control measures to help one keep the oral cavity clean. Children have less manual dexterity and motivation for adequate brushing or flossing. Hence, mouth rinses can act as an adjunct to mechanical plaque removal methods and help in preventing dental caries, halitosis, mucositis, and gingival/periodontal diseases in children.Mouth rinses can provide effective biofilm control that can do wonders for oral health. From antibiotics to probiotics, various compositions of mouthwashes have been introduced from time immemorial to the 21 century. This review is an overview of the literature search on mouth rinses from 1942 to 2022. The purpose of this review was to compile the history and various types of mouth rinses that can be used in children, many of these are commercially available and some are under clinical trial.