Everyone knows we are supposed to do it at least once a day but do we? Yes, I am talking about rinsing with mouth wash. Compared to brushing our teeth and flossing, most Americans forget about rinsing too. It is essential though to prevent and reduce plaque, prevent and reduce gingivitis, kill germs on the teeth and gums and most importantly freshen our breath!
On the market today there are many choices in the grocery store and pharmacy store that one must chose from in mouth rinses. There are choices between the color, flavor, and amount of alcohol and so on. A few years back my decision was usually based either on the color or the flavor since picking among the other choices just took too long in the store. Now that I have to worry about my health along with my families, I take a few extra minutes and actually look at the ingredients and try to find the best product that can be used by everyone in my family. Throughout my store visits, my family has come across two very distinguished mouth rinses that are very comparable. These two rinses are Spry Cool Mint Oral Rinse and Listerine Antiseptic Vanilla Mint.
Spry Cool Mint Oral Rinse is a wonderful mouth rinse that is composed of all natural ingredients. It is dentist recommended and has numerous scientific and professional research studies that have been conducted and are available online. The main ingredient is xylitol which is a natural sweetener that actually assists in the aid against fighting cavities, instead of fluoride. Many people believe that fluoride is an essential dental care need however this is not the case. In fact, studies are showing that only children need fluoride supplements only if the available drinking water does not contain it. Other studies show that just eight ounces of xylitol a day is a great substitute for fluoride all together. Many people over use fluoride each day since they are uneducated about the toxic factors it contains if taken in large amounts. It is produced by Xlear Inc.
Listerine Antiseptic Vanilla Mint is a chemical created mouth rinse that is to be used as an antiseptic. It kills germs that are the main cause of bad breath, removes plaque and fights against the gum disease gingivitis. The best part of this product is that it is vanilla mint flavored; anyone whom loves vanilla (I’m addicted) will appreciate this product. The bottle states that it is less intense and equally effective as the other Listerine products that are on the market today. The main active ingredients are Eucalyptol, Menthol, Methyl salicylate and Thymol. It is produced by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.
The packaging of both products is very different in appearance. The Spry Oral Rinse comes in a fogging clear recyclable bottle with a white child proof cap. The Listerine bottle reminds me of a lifting weight and seems to be geared towards the idea of strength. You can tell that Listerine really works on the marketing of the product while Spry keeps towards a more simple approach. It comes with a black child-proof cap. The Spry Oral Rinse comes only in a 16 fl. Oz bottle while the Listerine comes in either 8.5 fl oz or 32 fl. Oz bottles.
As for the price, I was amazed at the difference. Since Spry Oral Rinse is usually available only in health food stores or online, I naturally figured the price was going to be rather high. This is not the case though; it is 100% natural and is priced at $5.25 for a 16 fl oz. bottle. The Listerine is a slightly more accessible brand however is sold at the cost of $4.49 for an 8.5fl.oz bottle. Therefore, with a difference of $0.76, the Spry bottle offers double the amount of the Listerine mouth rinse.
For my family, we prefer to use the Spry Cool Mint Oral Rinse. It does not contain fluoride and has xylitol. In addition, Spry Oral Care does not have the over powering alcohol after taste that Listerine does. Spry leaves a clean feeling, minus any aftertaste. Listerine has this after taste that stays in the mouth for at least one hour after using. You know what I mean if you have ever used mouth rinse. I guess it follows the thought, if it burns, it works. With the increase of scientific studies though, this does not have to be the case anymore. Spry actually contains Olive Leaf, Echinacea and Chamomile extracts which will leave a clean and refreshing aftertaste. In addition, the amount that is actually used daily is exactly the same as the Listerine product. The price is also better for the wallet which is always a great factor in purchasing a quality product. I would recommend trying Spry Oral Rinse any day!
