Essential oils in listerine?

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What are the essential oils in listerine?

My professor is pretty biased against listerine so didn't go into much detail about it, other than it being acidic and containing alcohol.

Originally Posted by dentalman

What are the essential oils in listerine?

My professor is pretty biased against listerine so didn't go into much detail about it, other than it being acidic and containing alcohol.

Found on the net:

Contains the same four essential oils--eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate and thymol--found in Listerine? mouthrinse to effectively help reduce plaque and gingivitis.

Originally Posted by DcS

Found on the net:

Contains the same four essential oils--eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate and thymol--found in Listerine? mouthrinse to effectively help reduce plaque and gingivitis.

Hmmm, those Listerine? peeps are pretty crafty.

Do they mean "effectively" as in:

"this method works very effectively" (meaning well or efficaciously)

OR as in:

"the measurement is 4 m 98 cm, so it's effectively 5 meters" (meaning sortof or pretty much)

?

So now I'm confused. I remember reading earlier in another thread that using listerine was a good thing. Is it not? Or is this a question less black and white and more grey?

Originally Posted by HBomb

So now I'm confused. I remember reading earlier in another thread that using listerine was a good thing. Is it not? Or is this a question less black and white and more grey?

The ADA newsletter recently published an article on this topic. Listerine performed some independent studies on the efficacy of their mouthrinse, and they ended up have roughly the same plaque score with mouthrinse only (with brushing) and floss only (with brushing). Something along those lines. Thething is, it still isn't something to warrant not flossing.

I don't recall exactly, but the ADA agrees on the effectiveness of Listerine, but does not consider the mouthwash a floss replacement. So, those commercials you see with Listerine claiming they work just as good as floss are nearly true. It's just that Listerine is proven to be a very effective addition to a full FBI regimen (floss, brussh, irrigate).

Thanks for the answer to the oils question!

The other part of the ADA article I found interesting was that some in the ADA were considering taking away the ADA seal of approval because of the "misleading" adds. The only problem is, the research was done within ADA guidelines. The problem for the ADA is that dentistry has been promoting flossing for better oral health over the past few decades, and it took a lot of convincing to get the public where they are today. Even though listerine has in fine print to continue flossing, the ad makes most people think you don't need to floss. So the ADA supports listerine as an additional therapy, but does not like their commercial.

I have only seen four patients so far this summer and one of them asked if they didn't have to floss, so I already see what they mean!!

We also have to take into consideration the index used for the research. Indexing gingival inflammation and plaque levels are a subjective part of research, and there are many different indexes one can use. And one needs to ask, who was the research sponsored by? (the company that makes Listerine )

What do you guys/gals think about the downside to using Listerine? I heard someone saying it kills the "good" bacteria in your mouth too. So why shouldn't someone use Listerine? And also, does the good outweigh the bad?

Thanks in advance.

In my opinion, all one has to do is brush 2 times a day and floss once a week and they won't need any other aids. As long as you see the dentist every 9 months for cleaning and gingivectomy you will keep your teeth well into your sixties. When I get patients I think I will recomment prophylactic root canals and veneers to keep thier choppers in good condition. My uncle is a denturist in wyoming and he says that He recommend full mouth extractions by 70 and dentures to make life easier. I will ask my new dental school instructors about this.

Originally Posted by TuffyDMD

In my opinion, all one has to do is brush 2 times a day and floss once a week and they won't need any other aids. As long as you see the dentist every 9 months for cleaning and gingivectomy you will keep your teeth well into your sixties. When I get patients I think I will recomment prophylactic root canals and veneers to keep thier choppers in good condition. My uncle is a denturist in wyoming and he says that He recommend full mouth extractions by 70 and dentures to make life easier. I will ask my new dental school instructors about this.

I agree whole heartedly with Tuffy