relief

wait, so they 'said' they'd pay for it, or they did? BIG difference.

I must say, it is a big mystery to me as to why this problem has cropped up now. The active ingredient in Pro-Health, Cetylpyrindium Chloride, has been in mouthwashes for decades. (Cepacol is the biggest one, although plenty of others also use it.)

SirWired

Wouldn't a RECALL be a much better idea?!?!

Taste is a highly overrated sense.

I'm going to start signing my posts.

Sincerely,
arch05

@KenSPT: And when you think about it, losing your taste will lower your desire for food or sugary drinks, therefore making your teeth healthier. Obviously they did this on purpose.

why the hell is this crap still on the market, next thing you will see is lead toothpaste!!!

@PirateSmurf: Bad analogy. Lead toothpaste would hurt everyone who used it. This brown stain/ loss of taste thing seems to be pretty rare. In my practice I've seen maybe 10 patients who have developed the brown stain, and none who have lost their sense of taste. The overwhelming majority of ProHealth mouthwash users get no ill effects.

Now, am I happy that Crest isn't making this potential side effect part of their packaging? Hells no. Am I happy that they're trying to dodge the question on their website? ZOMG no. But I don't want them to pull a product that most of their current users have no problems with, any more than I want a nationwide ban on peanuts just because a small number of people are seriously allergic to them.

I just want Crest to be honest with the consumers so they can make an informed risk/ benefit analysis.

When my wife picked up a bottle of this several months ago, we both tried using it for a few days. Neither of us could really taste food for 12-24 hours after using it. I was so disturbed by this that I looked it up on Amazon and found all the negative reviews, and we threw out the bottle.

@FangDoc: The difference there, however, is that you don't take peanuts off the market because usually, after a first exposure, people are aware they have allergies to peanuts. Also, products containing peanuts have warning labels on them.

This toothpaste/mouthwash doesn't really go out of it's way to say, "Some brownness might occur on your teeth", which is kind of a no-brainer because who the hell buys toothpaste that could turn their teeth brown?

And I think the fact that ONE dentist seeing 10 patients with this problem is a fairly significant amount, even if your patient base is in the 10,000's.

Does the mouthwash have fluoride in it?

If so, that's the problem as excess fluoride in water also causes that.
people that live in Deaf Smith County in the Texas panhandle have mottled brown teeth from naturally occurring fluoride in the groundwater.

It's not considered dangerous, just unsightly.

@sirwired: CPC has been used as an ingredient in other over-the-counter mouthwashes and rinses for many years. However, at a much lower concentration. In fact, the Crest Pro-Health rinse contains 40% more CPC than the Cepacol. Also, there may be something to this idea that the CPC in the pro-health rinse is combining with another ingredient (perhaps the die) to enhance and exacerbate the staining problem. It's unbelievable to me that this product is still on the market after all of the problems with staining, loss of taste, and other issues. There is an OBVIOUS problem with this product. At the very least, there needs to be a warning on the bottle regarding the possible (and frequent) side effects.

I have another comment on this issue. And, just as a caveat, I am an insurance reimbursement specialist; I am not a dentist. However, based on my experience, the percentage of users experience brown staining from the Crest Pro-Health rinse is very substantial. No, not everyone will experience staining and/or significant loss of taste, but a large number will -- WAY too large a number for an over-the-counter product, especially one with no warning label on the packaging!

As for the reimbursement issue ... I have heard of Crest OFFERING to reimburse patients for their dental cleanings (it can easily take two or more extensive cleanings to remove the Pro-Health stains), but I have never heard, as of yet, of anyone actually getting any real money from Crest. It seems they make the offer then drown you in red tape, drag their feet, and then never actually pay.

Maybe there is someone out there who has actually been reimbursed, and I'm certainly not trying to discourage anyone from trying to get reimbursed, but all I'm saying is that I've never actually seen it happen.

@FangDoc: That is fine, I will stay with Listerine. I like the burn it means its working.
Still even at 1% of users that is not good.

Isn't this because of the flouride in the rinse? From what I understand, flouride turns your teeth brown, but they are increadibly strong.

Not that I want brown teeth, mind you, but still.

A note sent in by the wife returned the following from Crest customer relations:

Hi.

I'm sorry.Some people who use an antimicrobial product such as Crest Pro Health, may experience some tooth discoloration. This is true especially among those people who experience a lot of tartar. Unlike stains due to smoking or beverages which can discolor the entire tooth, antimicrobial tooth discoloration can occur in hard to brush areas like between the teeth and at the gum line. This type of staining is only temporary and on the surface of the tooth.We will share your information with our Health and Safety Team who will follow-up with you regarding your dental expenses.

Thanks for writing.

Alison
Crest Team

@sohmc: No, there is no fluoride in the Crest Pro-Health Rinse. The active ingredient is a chemical compound called "Cetylpyrindium Chloride", or "CPC" for short. CPC is also used to make certain pesticides (and is not something that I, personally, would want to wash my mouth out with) and has been known to stain teeth. For more info on the chemical properties of CPC, check the wiki page for some links.

By the way, FWIW, I would recommend that anyone who wants to use a mouthwash or rinse should either stick w/ an all-natural product (that's what I do) or at least use a product that has been tested and approved by the ADA (e.g. Listerine). The Crest Pro-Health Rinse is NOT approved by the ADA, and given all of its problems, I personally would not give it a snowball's chance ever to get ADA approval.

I use this stuff (mostly because I bought a 2-pack at Costco). I have not experienced the loss-of-taste thing. There is some staining between my four front lower teeth, but I am a heavy coffee drinker so I'm not sure which one is causing the stains (maybe both?). I also am an obsessive flosser and power brusher. Luckily I am getting a cleaning next week and I naturally don't show my lower teeth when I talk or smile. That said, when I'm through with the remaining bottle and a half, I'm switching back to Listerine.

@frankie56: Bravo! Best thing said on here yet! It's so true - why the heck would you trust something not certified/approved by the ADA?

I bought this stuff a couple of months back and dumped it down the drain after a couple of days' use. It left this horrible chemical aftertaste that wouldn't go away for hours.

@arch05: Maybe we should all do that?

Best Wishes,

Ideagirl

@Greasy Thumb Guzik, @sohmc: If I understand this [en.wikipedia.org] right, it has to happen when you're young in order to affect the appearance of your teeth.

Fluorosis cannot occur once the tooth has erupted into the oral cavity.

Also, they wouldn't be able to clean it off if it was fluorosis as the discloring is in the teeth not on the teeth.

"No, not everyone will experience staining and/or significant loss of taste, but a large number will -- WAY too large a number for an over-the-counter product, especially one with no warning label on the packaging!"

Guess we should ban listerine too because of all the problems caused by alcohol too.

Hmm... I recently went to the dentist to get the Crest stains off my teeth, but my insurance paid for it. I wonder if I can still get reimbursed somehow. Especially since not all the stains were taken off completely (might be the dentist's subpar work though).

I've had no problems with the Crest. However, I *have* had to have expensive gum surgery because of recession made worse by mouth dryness, which in turn is made worse by alcohol mouthwash. Maybe I should have asked Listerine to pay for my surgery?

I haven't had the staining, but I have noticed a loss of my sense of taste.

My wife and I had gotten a sample bottle of it with some toothpaste and I liked the taste. Next time we were at the store, we picked up a big bottle. Regular use made my sense of taste go a little off and my mouth would not feel right all day. I backed off on it and the taste came back. I still have the bottle, but I only use it occaisionally now.

Comment on Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash Stain Your Teeth Brown? Crest Pays For Your Cleaning I have been using Crest Pro-Health for the last year on the advice of my dentist via my hygienist. I tried using it twice a day as recommended, but it killed my taste buds for hours so I used it only at night. The last time I went to the dentist my hygienist complained about how stained my teeth were. The only thing I drink that could cause stain is one cup of tea a day and I have been doing that for years with no problems. This explains it all! I have stopped using the Pro-Health and will explain to my hygienist the next time it was her fault I had the stains.