Who's afraid of the big bad dentist ? (Listerine Cool Mint)

Name: bollinger28

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Product:	Listerine Cool Mint
Date:	12/09/05 (2690 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can help prevent plaque built up and subsequent gum disease

Disadvantages: Very strong and can "burn" your mouth

Hands up - who hates the dentist ? You're probably not alone. At least 25% of people in the UK are scared of going the dentist. Reasons cited were previous bad dental experiences, fear of the pain and hating injections/filings. Personally, I find going to the dentist to be a necessary evil that has to be endured. The worst part by far is having to pay the dentist to inflict all that discomfort and pain on you (and why is they always ask you a question when you’ve got a mouthful of metal tools and tubes?!)

Over 10% of people in the UK have not been to a dentist for at least 18 months, and the British Dental Health Foundation recommends that we go for a check up at least once a year. Not going to the dentist for a prolonged period can lead to tooth decay and possible gum diseases. Yet with the rise in dental costs and the decrease in cheap NHS dental care, many people put the evil dental checkup day on the back burner. So what can we do to help ourselves? Regularly cleaning your teeth is a good start - twice a day for 2 to 3 minutes a time is recommended. If you top this up with a thorough rinse with a good antiseptic mouthwash, you’re well on the way to avoiding loads of expensive dental work. And that leads me nicely onto my review on Listerine Coolmint Antiseptic Mouthwash.

** WHAT IS IT **
Listerine is the number one selling mouthwash in the UK. It’s made by Pfizer, a huge American conglomerate specializing in health care products. Listerine claim that if we use their mouthwash twice a day it will kill the bacteria that build up in our mouths and provide us with all day long protection against plaque build up, gingivitis (gum disease) and bad breath. Plaque is the major cause of gum disease which in turn is the main cause of tooth loss.

** PRICE, PACKAGING & AVAILABILITY **
My preferred Listerine mouthwash is the Coolmint flavour. It retails at £1.80 for 250ml or £2.61 for 500ml and it’s sold in all major supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsburys etc;) as well as chemists such as Boots and Superdrug. Listerine Coolmint is a rather lurid blue /turquoise coloured liquid.

The mouthwash is packaged in a sturdy looking clear plastic bottle (see picture below). All the packaging is environmentally friendly recyclable plastic. The front is clearly labelled in white and black and blue. There is also a large red sticker pointing out that they’re accredited by the British Dental Association. The black lid is child proof, as the product is not suitable for anyone under 12 years of age. To open the lid you need to squeeze the cap and then twist. If you’re in a hurry to get out the door in the morning it can be a bit frustrating as getting the lid off does require a bit of a knack to it.

** HOW TO USE **
Listerine recommend that we rinse our mouths with approximately 20ml (about 4 teaspoonfuls) twice a day. They do NOT recommend that we dilute it, as this will evidently reduce it effects. However, I’m not sure if this is a clever marketing ploy to make us use more. Sometimes I feel it is better to dilute the stuff with a bit of water, as not only does it make the mouthwash last longer, it also takes some of the “sting “away. Listerine is incredibly strong and sometimes you can really feel it burning your gums.

Anyway, I digress. Remove the lid and pour some into the black plastic cap/lid and then tip it into your mouth. Alternatively you can be an unhygienic tart like me and swig it straight from the bottle.

The stuff doesn’t smell particularly minty - more medicinal. However, the taste is very very strong - minty AAAA+++++. As you swill it around you mouth, the taste seems to get stronger and stronger. You can feel it starting to “burn” your gums a little and it may make your eyes water. It’s tempting to spit it out after ten seconds, but you need to persist with the full thirty seconds to maximize the benefits. Keep swilling it around your mouth - the movement seems to help reduce the burning sensation…You can also shift some of it into your throat and have a gargle with it (it's rather soothing on a sore throat).

After thirty seconds you're free to spit it out. Whatever you do, DO NOT swallow it! We’re talking over 21% industrial alcohol here, so it’s not going to do your stomach an awful lot of good. Bliss! It’s gone down the plughole. Your mouth is finally empty, but it now feels so much fresher. Your gums and tongue feel all tingly. Your can run your tongue over your smooth clean teeth. The effect is rather nice and I find that the feeling and minty taste will last for hours, which is rather reassuring.

** HEALTH ISSUES **
And now the gloomy bit……Listerine USED TO be made with over 26% industrial alcohol. Recent studies in USA by the National Cancer Institute of America have found that mouthwashes with an alcohol content of 25% or higher may be responsible for some mouth, tongue and throat cancers. Unfortunately the alcohol can act like a solvent making the gums and mouth tissues more vulnerable to carcinogens. Studies have shown that men had a 60% higher risk and women a 90% higher risk of these cancers compared to those not using mouthwash. Nowadays the alcohol content has been reduced to 21.6% but I would still be rather wary of excessive usage of this product.

** THE FULL RANGE**
Listerine antiseptic mouthwash comes in five other flavours and the bottles are sold in two sizes in UK, either 250ml or 500ml:-

~ Original (gold /beige coloured) = £1.80 for 250ml/ £2.61 for 500ml
~ Freshburst (light green colour) = £1.80 for 250ml/ £2.61 for 500ml
~ Cool Citrus (pale peach colour) = £2.39 for 250m/ £3.99 for 500ml
~ Tartar Control (bright blue colour) = £2.39 for 250ml/ £3.99 for 500ml
~ Teeth and Gum Defence (bright green colour) = £2.39 for 250ml/£3.99 for 500ml

** RECOMMENDATION **
Listerine Coolmint is fast and effective. Once you get used to the initial “burn” of the stuff and learn to swill it around your teeth and gums for the full 30 seconds, it will leave your mouth feeling minty fresh for ages. That said, you really must limit yourself to only using it for a maximum of 30 seconds twice a day, as it is incredibly strong. The amount of industrial alcohol in this product and the knock on health implications has made me think twice about using it for any longer than recommended. However, used in moderation, I still feel it is the best method of keeping your teeth and gums feeling clean and fresh throughout the day. And of course, hopefully, it will keep the dentist away from my gnashers that extra bit longer.

If you want to see how good your teeth/dental habits are then go and take the Listerine 6-Day challenge at www.listerinechallenge.com. It’s quite an eye opener. It may just help you reduce the amount of work (and expense) your dentist is going to have to undertake on your teeth at your next check up….

** FURTHER INFORMATION **
Under no circumstances should Listerine be swallowed and it is not suitable for children under 12 years of age.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare
Walton Oaks
Dorking Road
Tadworth
Surrey
KT20 7NS

Tel: 01304 616161

Websites: www.pfizer.co.uk or www.listerinechallenge.com

Thanks for reading.

Summary: Freshens your mouth and gums if used in moderation