Don't forget your toothbrush! (Listerine Pocket Packs)

Name: bollinger28

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Product:	Listerine Pocket Packs
Date:	11/02/06 (1322 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sugar free and more polite than chewing gum

Disadvantages: Impregnated with chemicals & sweeteners

Another check up at the dentist, and yet another filling at £60-£80 plus. I decided it was time to cut back on my consumption of mints and reduce the risk of further fillings. I needed to find a substitute for the mints, but drew the line at chewing gum, as it always looks a bit tacky and impolite. Besides, I don't think that my employer would be too happy so see me dealing with clients whilst chewing gum. So I had a scout round Boots in my lunch hour, and spotted Listerine Actives (previously known as Pocket Packs). They claim to be sugar free, so I thought I'd give them a whirl.

** WHAT ARE THEY? **
They're made by Pfizer, a huge American conglomerate specialising in health care products. Listerine Actives are micro thin films made from starch. They're impregnated with the antiseptic ingredients you find in Listerine mouthwash such as Thymol, Eucalyptol, Methyl Salicylate and Menthol. Basically they're oral care strips which are designed to kill the bad breath germs that build up in your mouth throughout the day. They really are wafer thin so they melt in your mouth instantly, no chewing required. As they melt they release minty germ killing ingredients. Pfizer claim that they will kill 99.9% of odour causing bacteria within 30 seconds.

** PRICE, PACKAGING & AVAILABILITY **
They're sold in all major supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsburys etc;) as well as chemists such as Boots & Supermarkets. They're sold in only two sizes:

24 Dissolvable Strips = 99p
72 Dissolvable Strips = £2.79

The strips are packaged in a turquoise cardboard sleeve. The packaging is emblazoned with the word "New", but as they've been on the market for two years (at least), I'm not sure how they can be claiming this. On the back of the sleeve is a list ingredients and a couple of diagrams showing how to ingest them. How relevent their diagrams are is another matter. Two pictures - the first of a hand pulling a strip from the packet, and the second showing said hand and strip going into one's mouth is hardly necessary - after all it's hardly rocket science.

Inside the sleeve is another piece of cardboard, with the tiny little turquoise dispenser containing the Actives. They're extremely well packaged and it takes a while to break through all the necessary plastic, cardboard, foil wrappings and backings just to get to the Actives. Once you've finished wrestling with all the packaging you're left with a tiny little turquoise plastic carrying case. It's very tiny and discrete - ideal for a jacket pocket or handbag.

Flip the lid on the box and the Actives are stored inside. They have no discernable odour. The strips themselves are postage stamp size. They're a light greeny blue semi transparent colour film. Remove one from the packaging and place it on you tongue. It quickly dissolves and leaves an extremely minty taste in your mouth. Make sure you get it all in your mouth and do not leave half of it on your lip like I did, as it burns and it hurts. They taste really, really strong and they can make your eyes water a bit. They do instantly refresh your mouth and give your teeth, gums and tongue an immediate "just brushed" sensation. The feeling and minty taste lasts for anything up to an hour, which is rather reassuring. However, they do leave a bit of an aftertaste, which can make beverages like tea and coffee taste a wee bit odd at first. They can also leave a thin film of a sticky residue on your gums.

** HEALTH ISSUES **
The strips are alcohol free, sugar free and contain no calories at all. However, the strips contain a source of Phenylalanine Aspartame. Consumption of too much Phenylalanine Aspartame can excite the neurons in the brain, cause brain cells to die and in more extreme cases cause brain tumours. It has also been linked to a range of other health problems from skin rashes to behavioural disorders. Research has shown that emotional and behavioural disorders can all be triggered by too much Phenylalanine Aspartame in some daily diets. Now I'm no medical expect but that sounds fairly scary to me. There is also an extensive list of other complicated sounding ingredients in this product...which all boils down to a rather sobering cocktail of chemicals.

** RECOMMENDATION ? **
They're discrete, quick working and you can use them anytime, anyplace, anywhere. They are extremely minty, instantly refreshing and a lot longer lasting flavour wise than a mint or a piece of chewing gum. And so they should be, as they are twice the price - every individual strip costs over 4p. However, I'm not so sure that excessive consumption of these is all that good for you. There is no guide as to how many you should limit yourself to in any one 24-hour period, and I really am alarmed by the absolute smorgasbord of chemicals this product contains. In retropsect, I think they are perhaps best for very limited usage or emergencies when you cannot get to a toothbrush. I think I'll be sticking to my sugary mints and risk another filling.

Recommended...but in moderation, and really for emergencies only.

** FURTHER INFORMATION **
They should be stored below 25°C or they will melt into a sticky gloopy mess. They have a shelf life of about 1½ years before they hit their best before date.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
Lambert Court
Chestnut Avenue
Eastleigh
Hampshire
SO53 3ZQ

Tel: 023 8062 0500
Website: www.pfizer.co.uk

Summary: Effective emergency breath freshener