| Product: |
Listerine Cool Mint |
| Date: |
27/03/08 (78 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Freshens breath, probably does a good job of fighting plaque
Disadvantages: Burns like hell, doesn't taste minty
I bought some of this mouthwash a few months ago an a buy one get one free offer. Because it was buy one get one free I chose 2 different flavours to try - this one and the original flavour. I had no idea what to expect from the original one, but from the words coolmint I was expecting this one to be nice and refreshing, so I tried this one first.
You can get Listerine in most supermarkets and chemists, so it's really easy to get hold of for just about anybody. It can cost anywhere from £2 - £3 for a 500ml bottle depending where you buy it from. There are also other types of Listerine which are supposedly superior and therefore of course are more expensive.
Listerine is an antibacterial mouthwash that claims to reduce plaque by up to 56% more than brushing alone. Used twice daily it's supposed to give you 24 hour protection against plaque and lasting fresh breath confidence. You should note that it is not suitable for children under the age of 12, and it shouldn't be diluted, swallowed, or swigged from the bottle.
To use it you just need to pour some into a glass (the directions recommend 20ml, or about 4 teaspoonfuls), get it into your mouth and rinse it around your teeth and gums, gargle, then spit it out after 30 seconds.
It comes in a clear plastic bottle with a black safety lid. By safety lid I mean one of those child safe ones where you have to press on both sides of it whilst turning it in order to unscrew it. I have to say I do find this one particularly difficult to open and usually have to resort to using my teeth to open it, which can't be good for them! On the other hand, it is good that kids won't be able to get into it.
The mothwash is a really nice clear light blue liquid, not really any thicker in consistency than water, so about what you'd expect. It smells very strong and chemically, not minty at all to my mind, and not at all pleasant. It tastes vile, and whilst it does have a slight mintiness to it the overwhelming flavour is of the alcohol.
The one major thing I have to say about this is IT BURNS! And I don't just mean slight discomfort, I mean a really bad burning sensation that left me wondering if I was going to be able to eat anything for the rest of the day the first time I used it, as my tongue was so painful. I couldn't possibly keep this in my mouth for 30 seconds, I think about 15 is the longest I've ever managed before giving up and having to spit it out, but usually it's a lot less than that. Obviously it doesn't effect everyone this way as I know loads of people who use it and don't find it even the slightest bit uncomfortable to use, so maybe I just have a sensitivity to it, but then when my boyfriend tried it he was the same and he was ready to throw it out.
I like to get use out of everything though, so I have been diluting this and using it that way, even though it says on the bottle it should not be diluted (I suspect their main reason for saying this is because they don't want you making it last longer anyway), and that way it doesn't burn and we can both happily use it in a completely pain-free way.
It does make my mouth feel really fresh after using it (both concentrated and diluted) and this feeling lasts a long time so it does do it's job in that respect, and I'm sure that it does fight plaque as it says even though I've no real way to test that claim. The amount that you need to use each time is not a great deal, but it does seem to run down very quickly, even when I've been diluting it, so I can't say it lasts very well. It's not one I'll ever be buying again, even if I see it dirt cheap somewhere.
Summary: The most painful mouthwash i've ever used!
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