Mother’s Day Gift Guide: What to Get Mom for Better Health in 2017
“Feel the burn” might apply to exercise, but not mouthwash – that burning sensation is not helping your oral health.
Question: Why does Listerine burn? – Sholom C.
Answer: Listerine contains various ingredients called isomers like eucalyptol, menthol, thymol and methyl salicylate which can be mild irritants to your skin but they are the ones who kill the germs. Listerine has around 26% ethanol weight per volume (less now due to oral cancer fears), which means it cannot actually kill all mouth bacteria completely. What it does is it dissolves these ingredients into your gums, teeth and tongue. A burning sensation can be felt whenever these active ingredients come in contact with your mouth and gum tissues.
Don’t use this mouthwash, it’s bad for your oral health and really accomplishes nothing it claims it does.
Hope this helps.
Mark Burhenne DDS
Why do my gums hurt when I’m sleeping I think it’s my teeth not sure but I do sleep hard and squeeze me teeth hard…thank you for your time and patience due to this problem I’ve been having some pain in my gum or teeth what would be the best thing to do DOC..thank you
Freddy Soto
I am a dentist from NC. It may be due to you gritting your teeth too hard during the day or it also may be the mouthwash you use. Some mouthwashes such as Listerine contain alcohol and will deplete gum tissue and decay teeth faster. Try to use a non alcohol based solution to reduce or eliminate the pain. For the gritting part you may want to buy a mouth cushion to put in the back of your mouth during the day. You can’t feel it once you put it on and you won’t be able to see either. See your dentist to find one for your size.
Doesn’t blood going to your brain when you lay down have something to do with it?
Thanks for sharing. Your post is a useful coribtnution.
Hi I used a mouthwash for 1 week I kinda use the top as a glass I put half with water I kinda use it 3 times a day or after eating some food a week later I don’t use it anymore I just use lukewarm with salt then some red patches on my cheeks came out but painless and on my toungue some sores little paining I have the feeling before this happen kinda dry mouth like feels of burn and my lips also dries now I have this sores
Oh man. Just read the end of your post.
I need a molar root canal (have to see an endodonist (sp) ) but he put me antibiotics and told me to do listerine rinses. He is also a professer at Pitt Dental..
I normally use Colgate mouth wash or Act, whichever is on sale (don’t judge me, LOL!).. they don’t burn my mouth.
Here is the thing: I never had a cavity until I hit 32. I got put on medications and ignored the warning signs when my teeth would hurt (I was in denial) so when I went to dentist 4 years later (I scaled my own gums and brush obsessively) I got cavities all at the gum lines.
anyhow, is it supposed to burn the sides of your mouth? I have a special brush for the sides of my mouth.