If you’ve ever done a quick breath-check before a meeting and reached for the nearest mouthwash, you’re in good company — so when theSkimm asked me to weigh in on the rinse that went viral, TheraBreath, and whether it really beats the Listerine in your cabinet, I was happy to.

My honest answer: a good rinse helps, but it’s the supporting act, not the main event. A rinse can mask an odor; it can’t fix the reason it’s there. Fresh breath is usually a signal, and I told theSkimm that the result depends far more on what’s going on underneath — your habits, your gums, even your overall health.

Many factors, including your home hygiene routine, diet, use of tobacco products, active gum disease, and certain health conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, or chronic bronchitis can all contribute to bad breath.

When guests do ask me to compare rinses, I look at one thing most labels never mention: pH. Anything acidic can soften and wear down enamel over time, so how gentle a rinse is on your teeth matters as much as the freshness it promises. Fresh breath that comes at the cost of your enamel isn’t really a win.

There’s a bigger question worth asking, too — whether “kill every germ” is even the goal. A lot of what your rinse is doing to your oral microbiome can work against you, because some of those bacteria quietly support your whole-body  health. The smarter move is balance, not eradication: brush, floss, stay hydrated, and choose products that work with your mouth instead of scorching it.

And if chronic bad breath is something you’ve fought for years, it deserves a closer look than any bottle can give — which is exactly where your next visit comes in.

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Yenile Pinto

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