Product Review: Crest Pro-Health Rinse

Crest Pro-Health rinse claims to guard against plaque, gingivitis and bad breath for 12 hours. After brushing, just rinse for 30 seconds and you're done for 12 hours. Though this may sound like another great Crest product, it is not without its flaws. So before you slap down that $6 for oral health in a bottle, check out the reasons you might want to put it in reverse and head back to the alcohol-based mouthwashes.

Pros

Crest Pro-Health rinse with no alcohol is great for those of us who can't quite handle that hot laser feeling in our mouths first thing in the morning. There is no burning sensation while using this mouthwash, which is a definite plus. It can even be used when you have a canker sore or cut in your mouth. There is absolutely no sting.

Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash also does an excellent job of giving your mouth a clean and fresh feeling much longer than a traditional, alcohol based mouthwash such as Listerine. It's the Pert of mouthwashes; you just wash and go.

Cons

Only Crest's Pro-Health toothpaste was good enough to garner the American Dental Association's (ADA) seal of approval. The Crest Pro-Health rinse label bears no such symbol or claim. The label only states, "Provides Dentist Recommended Benefits" with a medical symbol above it to make it appear more legitimate.

Crest Pro-Health also contains cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as it's antiseptic agent, which has been found to create brown stains between teeth. CPC also has industrial uses, such as in pesticides. While CPC may burn less, alcohol based rinses have not been found to cause brown tooth stains nor have they been used to kill insects on plants.