Magic Mouthwash
Magic mouthwash goes by a variety of names: miracle mouthwash, mixed medicated mouthwash, Mary’s magic mouthwash, and Duke’s mouthwash.
There are several kinds of mouthwash, which may account for the different names. Each has slightly different ingredients in varying amounts. What they have in common: They’ve medicated mixes in liquid forms, like regular mouthwash.
Both adults and children can use mouthwash. It’s a common treatment for a sore mouth. You may get mouth sores or blisters because of cancer treatments or an infection. This condition is called oral (mouth) mucositis.
Magic Mouthwash Recipe
There is no standard formula for Magic Mouthwash. It’s like trying to find the “best” chili recipe; you will find many!
When the pharmacy gets a prescription for Mouthwash, the pharmacist makes each one (“compounds”) according to the prescribing physician’s instructions or recipe.
Many health care providers know about Mouthwash, but assume there is ONE formulation, and don’t know the exact ingredients or proportions. When a prescription for Mouthwash is given to a patient, it must contain specific ingredients, amounts, and patient instructions, so the pharmacist knows which one to make.
Here are some of the more common adult formulations.
Magic Mouthwash Recipe 1
Rx:
- 80 ml viscous lidocaine 2%
- 80 ml Mylanta
- 80 ml diphenhydramine 12.5 mg per 5 ml elixir
- 80 ml nystatin 100,000U suspension
- 80 ml prednisolone 15mg per 5ml solution
- 80 ml distilled water
Sig: Swish, gargle, and spit one to two teaspoonfuls every six hours as needed. May be swallowed if esophageal involvement.
Magic Mouthwash Recipe 2 (also called “Xyloxadryl” or “BMX”)
Rx:
- 1 Part viscous lidocaine 2%
- 1 Part Maalox (do not substitute Kaopectate)
- 1 Part diphenhydramine 12.5 mg per 5 ml elixir
Quantity: 120 ml
Sig: Swish, gargle, and spit one to two teaspoonfuls every six hours as needed. May be swallowed if esophageal involvement. Shake well before using.
Magic Mouthwash Recipe 3
Rx:
- 30 ml viscous lidocaine 2%
- 60 ml Maalox (do not substitute Kaopectate)
- 30 ml diphenhydramine 12.5 mg per 5 ml elixir
- 40 ml Carafate 1 gm per 10 ml
Sig: Swish, gargle, and spit one to two teaspoonfuls every six hours as needed. May be swallowed if esophageal involvement. Shake well before using.
Magic Mouthwash Recipe 4
Rx:
- 100 ml dexamethasone 0.5 mg per 5 ml elixir
- 60 ml nystatin 100,000U suspension
- 100 ml diphenhydramine 12.5 mg per 5 ml elixir
- contents of 3 capsules tetracycline 500 mg
Sig: Swish, gargle, and spit one to two teaspoonfuls every six hours as needed. May be swallowed if esophageal involvement.
Magic Mouthwash Ingredients
mouthwash is a mixture of medicines. There are several different formulas for making this mixture. They typically contain:
- antibiotic(s) to prevent or stop bacterial infection
- antifungal drug to prevent or stop a fungal infection
- a numbing drug to soothe pain (lidocaine)
- an antihistamine to bring down swelling (example, diphenhydramine)
- a steroid drug to lower inflammation — redness, and swelling
- an antacid to help the mouthwash coat your mouth (aluminum hydroxide, magnesium, or kaolin)
Magic Mouthwash Side Effects
mouthwash contains strong medications. The Mayo Clinic advises that it can make some mouth symptoms worse. Like other drugs, it may also have side effects.
mouthwash can lead to mouth problems like:
- dryness
- burning or stinging
- tingling
- soreness or irritation
- loss or change of taste
It can also cause side effects such as:
- nausea
- constipation
- diarrhea
- drowsiness
The side effects of magic mouthwash usually go away on their own a few days to a few weeks after you stop using it.
Mary’S Magic Mouthwash
Magic mouthwash is the term given to a solution used to treat mouth sores (oral mucositis) caused by some forms of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Oral mucositis can be extremely painful and can result in an inability to eat, speak, or swallow. mouthwash may provide some relief, but it’s unclear how effective it is. That’s because of the lack of standardization in the formulations of mouthwash, and poorly designed studies done to gather data.
There are several versions of mouthwash. Some are available in pre-measured kits that can be mixed together by pharmacists, while others are prepared to order by a pharmacist. If it’s determined that mouthwash might be helpful, your doctor will write a prescription.
Magic Mouthwash For Thrush
Here are 10 tips that can help manage & treat oral thrush:
- Practice excellent oral hygiene and change your toothbrush frequently when oral candidiasis is active.
- Talk to your dentist or rheumatologist about taking Evoxac® (cevimeline) or Salagen® (pilocarpine) to increase salivary flow.
- Don’t use mouthwashes containing alcohol.
- Limit sugar and foods that contain yeast, such as wine, beer, and bread. And increase your intake of acidophilus through unsweetened yogurts with live lactobacillus acidophilus or capsules.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol, both of which can increase dryness.
- Sip water frequently and rinse after eating or drinking if you can’t brush.
- If you smoke, STOP!
- Clean dental prostheses every day with an anti-fungal preparation and avoid wearing them at night.
- Talk to your dentist about prescription therapies available to help with oral candidiasis. Sometimes a combination of treatments is necessary if the problem is severe.
- For maintenance, once thrush is under control, discuss with your dentist frequent use of a mouthwash with diphenhydramine, nystatin, and Maalox. A chlorhexidine gluconate rinse can also be helpful (and if you wear dentures, it’s good for cleaning those too).