Is mouthwash effective?

Yes: Your priorities for a healthy mouth are brushing with a flouride toothpaste, flossing daily and seeing your dentist. Using a mouth wash with flouride is great but not necessary. Most mouthwashes are made to freshen your breath for a short period of time. Pick one with flouride so it does two things instead of one.

Yes: They are effective if used along side with daily brushing and flossing. These rinses not are not a replacement for flossing or brushing.

Good for 1% of care!: In my office daily flossing is 93% of home care; toothbrushing is 6% and mouthwash is at best 1%. Don't believe what you see on the commercials. (have you ever seen a commercial for floss? No! because there is no profit in selling it!). But there must be a tremendous profit in pitching 40 proof mouthwash!