| Product: |
Other Mouthwash |
| Date: |
09.08.03 (77 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Cheap breath freshener
Disadvantages: You probably get what you pay for
(Given how long it takes Dooyoo to process suggestions these days, I've submitted this under 'other mouthwash'. It's Sainsbury?s Confident Freshmint Mouthwash I'm reviewing)
Dental health is important. I?ll be honest with you though. I don?t always brush my teeth as often as I should. You should brush in the morning and before bed ? and ideally after meals too. Of course, it?s far too easy to stagger to bed early in the morning after a night out and forget to, or to wake up in the morning with just enough time for a quick shower before running to lectures and, er, no time again. Generally I?d say I brush once a day, but I sometimes suffer sensitive teeth, bleeding gums and sometimes I fear bad breath (though it?s hard for me to tell). It was with all this in mind that I decided to look for a mouthwash that would help fight all these problems.
Scanning the shelves in Sainsbury?s for a while, I was almost bewildered by the choice. In the end, I opted for the cheapest, as I wasn?t sure if I?d really get into the habit of using it anyway. Identified by the label as Sainsbury?s Confident Freshmint Mouthwash, a 500ml bottle of turquoise liquid at 85p was much cheaper than its rivals. A quick look at the bottle revealed it claims to:
Fight germs
Help fight plaque and decay
Freshen breath
Help strengthen teeth
Naturally I bought it. I?d never used mouthwash before, so when I got home I checked the instructions. It?s recommended you use the mouthwash regularly, twice a day after brushing. It says in big letters DO NOT SWALLOW (so I guess you have to spit girls ;) ? and consequently this isn?t recommended for children and should be kept out of their reach. Thankfully it has a childproof cap ? you have to pinch in the sides and twist it off, which may be difficult if you have weak hands/wrists.
Once open you can already smell a clean, minty smell ? it?s quite strong, and
if you have a slightly blocked nose (as I do now) may help give your sinuses a blast! To get back to using it though: half fill the cap (about 15ml ? meaning a bottle should last 33 uses, or perhaps 17 days at less than 3p/day), put it in your mouth (NOT swallowing) and swish it around for 15-30 seconds. Then spit out (it helps to be over a basin).
The first time I tried it, I found the taste very strong ? like biting into a strong mint. I was glad to spit it out, and reached for a glass of water ? which naturally tasted horrible and minty! Now after use, I tend to swish some water too, to clean the minty taste out of my mouth. I was also slightly concerned that the label had no instructions on what to do if swallowed (e.g. do/do not induce vomiting, dilute with water, seek medical advice). Best be careful then!
And the biggest question of all, I suppose, is did it work? Well, that probably depends what you expect. As I said earlier, I don?t have anything to compare it to. It?s also worth noting it will be more effective used regularly over a fair period ? don?t expect overnight changes. Still, I think it?s certainly breath freshening ? though it may not be any better in that respect than a stick of gum. I?m not sure about the overall claims ? it?s hard to know what state my teeth would be in otherwise. I admit my mouth hasn?t seemed too bad, it?s got to be helping somewhat ? but I?ve heard reports of other mouthwashes having visible effects, which I can?t really say I noticed with this. Maybe it?s just a cheap breath freshener and I couldn?t expect much more at this price. I don?t know whether to recommend, but when this bottle runs out, I think I?ll probably buy another.
The active ingredients (each 0.05% w/w) seem to be cetylpyridinium chloride and sodium fluoride. The main ingredient is water (aqua) and it also contains alcohol and menthol.
According to the label ?Sainsbury?s are against animal testing and fund research into
alternatives.? Which quite clearly doesn?t claim this isn?t tested on animals. If you?re concerned, the customer care number is 0800 636262.
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