Dear Dr. Ellie,
I’d rather have the proverbial wooden teeth than use Listerine it makes me gag every time and that incredibly gross tastes stays with you for months. Yuck!!!
SJ.
Hi SJ,
Check out the latest vanilla, mint or natural citrus Listerine flavors and feel free to dilute half water it still works!
I have nothing to do with the Listerine company just years of work as a clinical dentist.
Research shows (and from looking at teeth I would agree) that rinsing with Listerine twice a day is just as effective as flossing.
I work with a lot of people who either cannot (disabled in some way or lack manual skills) and with those who do not want to floss. If these folks use Listerine as part of a special program we can help them enjoy great oral health.
The active ingredients in Listerine are essential oils (eucalyptus, thymol and menthol), The formula is virtually the same since it was introduced as a surgical antiseptic in the nineteenth century!
The problem with Listerine is that it really should not be left on teeth for various reasons.
I loved your message but I wouldn’t recommend wooden teeth they get very soggy!
Thanks for your message,
Ellie Phillips
Categories: Uncategorized
My dentist, a very proactive dentist who places a lot of emphasis on prevention, home care, diet, etc. and who is also a proponent of xylitol (as well as other products that have been in use in other countries for years before they’re even heard of in the U.S), has serious concerns about Listerine. She is the personal dentist of several of the local dental school faculty dentists, one of whom is a dental pathologist. This dental pathologist has evidence that Listerine can be very damaging to the soft tissue of the mouth, in addition to causing erosion of the enamel, as you have already stated. I find your CWT program intriguing, but have serious reservations about using Listerine. I’m thinking about substituting tea tree oil rinse as the antimicrobial agent in the process.