Listerine: Not Worth The Trouble

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If you’re like us, we used whatever was given to us growing up. If it was soap, shampoo, toilet paper, or mouthwash, we pretty much had no choice. And for many years, your choices in mouthwash were either Scope or Listerine.

But as awareness of mouthwash has increased, so have your options; however, Listerine still seems to be the brand most people think about when they hear the word “mouthwash.”

The bad news is, the burning, bad taste is still the thought that comes to most people’s mind when they think of Listerine. The worse news? The taste may just be the tip of the iceberg.

For the purist in natural living, the question that must be asked is, “Is Listerine still my mouthwash of choice?”.

The short answer is a resounding NO. Listerine has been around for decades, but while the company has tried to improve its image by coming out with different flavors, the main ingredients remain the same… with the most noxious and unsafe ingredients being the alcohols.

The alcohols in Listerine (and in Scope and other store-branded bottles) cause a drying effect in the mouth. That’s the burning sensation you feel that ultimately makes you want to spit sooner than later. It is also that drying power that naturally causes more cells to die, resulting in an increased probability of having oral cancer.

So combining the horrid taste with the increased risks of cancer, we give Listerine or any mouthwash containing alcohol a big thumbs down. Stay far away from these.

We recommend alcohol-free mouthwashes, preferably ones containing the active ingredient stabilized chlorine dioxide.

For more information about the highly recommended rinse we use in the office, please use the contact form to send us an email. Breath Doctor mouthwash is a stable, natural mouth rinse that is incredibly effective in killing bacteria safely.

If you’re still not convinced, read through some of the comments below and discover some real life stories from other readers who have had experiences with Listerine.

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Listerine: Not Worth The Trouble

LEXIsays:

January 4, 2010 at 5:05 pm
That is so wrong, if you were educated you would no that listerine is the best mouthwash. it has been around since the 1800′s. it’s the only mouthwash approved by the american dental assocation, and it has the best results. non alcoholic mouthwashes dont work. so what if listerine burns. wouldnt you rather have white nice teeth with no plaque instead of dirty teeth.
DR. MARVINsays:

January 6, 2010 at 10:20 am
Lexi, in actuality, the ADA has “approved” over 50 brands of mouth rinses and over 100 different products within those brands. Some of those rinses contain alcohol and some do not (here’s a list: ADA-approved mouth rinses.
Also, the ADA has released research that indicates alcohol-based mouthrinses may be a cause of certain oral cancers (http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/topics_cancer_brief_mouthrinses.pdf). They still put their seal on some of them because of limited research that has been done and because, despite the oral cancer risk, the rinses contain ingredients known to help reduce plaque, and that’s the goal of the product, despite the potential side effects.
Does Listerine have a long history? Yes. Does that mean it’s the best choice of products — or the only option you have? Absolutely not.
LISA A.says:

March 14, 2010 at 4:36 pm
I have to agree with Dr. Marvin. Alcohol based mouth rinses will do their job initially- but while doing it, also strip and damage gum and cheek tissue. Then the next onslaught of bacteria moves in and is able to do even more damage.
My favorite newly discovered mouth rinse so far (besides sea salt water or baking soda and water) is Ecodent’s oral mouth rinse. It has Goldenseal, and other anti-bacterial herbs and essential oils in an olive oil base. Lately I’ve been having gum issues during my menstruation times so am using this daily during that time — I love the taste and the way it wakes up my mouth without the alcohol. I plan on getting a few more bottles of this to keep on hand.
I also love the Ecodent tooth powder as well.
JIMMYsays:

August 24, 2010 at 8:53 pm
actually listerine is primarily composed of essential oil like thymol, menthol, methyl salicylate anf eucalyptol. alcohol content is aroung 21% and is placed there to dissolve the essential oils. it is not fo antibacterial activity. both the american dental association and the united states national cancer institute have declaerd it safe.
DR. MARVINsays:

September 3, 2010 at 2:58 pm
How do you define the word “primarily”? I would define it as the dictionary does: “for the most part”. Considering Listerine is about 21% alcohol and even larger part water, I would say it is “primarily” water and alcohol.
It’s stated active ingredients are Eucalyptol (0.092%), Menthol (0.042%), Methyl salicylate (0.060%), and Thymol (0.064%) (depending on the line you are looking at). The reason those are the “active” ingredients are because those are the ingredients that help fight plaque and gingivitis. That in no way implies that the alcohol doesn’t have any effect on the mouth when used at 21%. Further, the ADA also says mercury fillings are safe, etc. There is a substantial cost associated with having a product ADA “approved”… they don’t simply look at every dental product and offer to put their seal on it. And I believe the NCI actually said they have not yet found conclusive evidence of alcohol based mouthwash leading to oral cancer… which is a far cry from declaring it “safe.”
Of course, that’s all assuming you discount studies such as the one from the Australian Dental Journal:http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/bpl/adj/2008/00000053/00000004/art00003(which states “that it is inadvisable for oral healthcare professionals to recommend the long-term use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes” because of “sufficient evidence to accept the proposition that alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer”.)