Long story short, I got a deep cleaning about 3 months ago, which was right around the time I started using Crest Pro Health. About 2 months and half a bottle of this mouth wash later, I started noticing big stains around my gum lines and in between my teeth. I have never had stains like this before so I thought maybe it was due to the deep cleaning. Maybe I drank tea or coffee right afterwards and the stains stuck or something. Or maybe it was because I was getting old! So I went back to my dentist about a month ago who scraped them off. Luckily, they came off very easily according to her. Then, two weeks after, the stains were back! Just as brown and big as the last time! So then I knew something was wrong since I use the Sonicare toothbrush, I floss religiously, and I don't drink coffee very much at all and I don't smoke. I drink tea or red wine occassionally but I have really pretty much stopped completely because I thought they were the cause of the stains.
So today I went for another cleaning, and I told my dentist about this problem. She gave me her suspicious look for a few seconds. Then she asked me if I used mouth wash. I told her yes, she then asked what brand. When I said Crest, she immediately asked if it was Crest Pro-Health. I couldn't remember at the time, but she said by the looks and the extremely unnatural rate of the stains, it must be. She said that Crest Pro Health contains something called cetylpyridinium chloride that is fluoride intensive which tends to cause stains. Huh? I thought fluoride was good for the teeth. But I guess EXCESS fluoride causes spots of fluorapatite in the hydroxyapatite enamle (stains)... I don't completely understand, but the point is that they caused my teeth to stain and turn yellow. Argh!!! She says that I should dilute it with water. Maybe use half mouth wash and half water. During the cleaning, she kept exclaiming that she couldn't believe how stained my teeth were from the time she cleaned them a month ago. She said it should never happen unless I was a heavy smoker or coffee drinker. And she also said that she couldn't even imagine how bad the stains would be if I didn't use Sonicare toothbrush.
After I got back from the dentist I googled Crest Pro Health. OMG there are a million sites/blogs/reviews out there talking about how this stuff stains your teeth! I can't believe it! My boyfriend says his teeth have been stained too since he started using this mouth wash, and he's been using it for even longer than I have. So forget about diluting it, I'm SOOO throwing that shit away (of course I just bought 2 gigantic bottles of it from Costco)! I just can't believe that this product is on the market! Some people have said that it takes from a month up to a few months for the stains to go away after you stop using it. So I'm really annoyed. My dentist did such a great job scraping them off today. I can't believe there's a possibility the stains will come back after a few weeks even if I stop using it. I'm just so pissed right now, because I thought I was doing a good thing for myself to use mouth wash daily. I never would have thought that a product that is supposed to help your oral health would actually stain your teeth! Apparently some people also have lost sense of taste from using it as well. I don't think it's happened to me but I've only used half a bottle. I can't imagine what would have happened if I continued to use it. Like what if my dentist didn't know about it and I kept on using it thinking it would help the stain situation! I'm breaking out a cold sweat thinking about that possibility.
How does Crest make such a great product for staining teeth anyways?? I mean, they did an EXCELLENT job.
I guess Listerine is still safe to use. But I don't know if I'm brave enough to use mouth wash again. I think I'm scarred for life. =(
Wow, that's crazy! Maybe Crest does that so you need their whitening toothpaste :-p I'm sure your deep cleaning was not super cheap either, I'd be pissed. Does your dentist office give that kind of mouthwash out? I actually got a sample of ProHealth from my dentist-- which is perfect travel size, and I used it on vacation. Normally, we use Listerine though. Luckily 6 days isn't enough to stain! Never knew that about fluoride either; wherever our water came from where I grew up in had fluoride in the water- which apparently has helped me to have good teeth as an adult! In NJ I guess that isn't standard and can cause problems - my dentist never remembers me and always asks me if I grew up in NY state because of my teeth.
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice any loss of taste with the mouthwash, however I didn't use it long. I don't particularly love the taste of ProHealth, maybe there's baking soda or something in it? It's similar to that taste in toothpaste. Anyway - thanks for the heads up!
Apparently I've now read their Pro Health toothpaste stains too which would explain my weird stains I've had for the past couple months... Bah!
ReplyDeleteGoing to toss the stuff and buy something else tomorrow even though I've loved Crest since I was a kid :(
@RunningOnCoffee: Yeah apparently fluoride is good but not in excess. I didn't know that either. My dentist didn't give the mouth wash out, it was just cheap at Costco so I bought it, never thinking that it would stain my teeth! My dentist loves me, she always gives me the biggest hug when she sees me and we chat about everything before she works on me. Lol. She says I'm her star patient that she brags to everyone about because I obsessively brush and floss my teeth everyday and she's really proud of how healthy my gums are. So she knew the stains were unnatural and I wasn't lying when I told her that they were not because of any of my doing!
ReplyDeleteI'd suspect a few days of usage probably wouldn't cause any damage, but I still wouldn't use it just in case! The stains were bad - the were dark brown and very noticeable. Mostly along the gum lines and corners of each tooth too - just like what you would get from years of smoking and coffee drinking and not brushing your teeth! Unbelievably gross. Luckily I have pretty good dental insurance so I don't have to pay to get cleaning. Otherwise I would be even more upset! I'm now thinking I need a whitening next time I go.
@starrwinter: I didn't know Crest made Pro Health toothpaste. And you got stains from that too! I wonder if it's all Crest products or just the "Pro Health" line or whatever. I think I've used their toothpaste before and didn't get stains but can't be sure now! I think it's safe to say that I will stay away from anything made by Crest for the rest of my life! Seriously not cool.
MSE - I've used Crest's regular whitening toothpaste - not Pro Health - for the last several years with no staining. So it must just be the Pro Health line. Sorry you went through this! I'm obsessed with keeping my teeth clean, too, so I can imagine your horror.
ReplyDelete-Angela
I like Crest's regular whitening toothpaste (I can't remember if that's the one with Scope too?) But that was fine for me a couple years ago... I'm a Crest Kid. I only made the switch to Colgate as a concession to my husband because that's what he grew up with :-p
ReplyDeleteI think the GO Smile line of whitening products is awesome -- I am neurotic about my teeth too -- and would absolutely freak if this happened -- I am a Colgate girl!! Thanks for the heads up about this -- I cannot believe that this product is still on the shelves --
ReplyDeleteYikes - thanks for informing us! It's amazing how something called "Pro-Health" contains so much flouride that it's bad for you. Shame on them. I heard that the flouride treatment at the dentist's office is even too much.
ReplyDeleteYes my dental hygienist warned me about this product. She said she started noticing that her patients teeth were more stained than usual and she figured out that what they all had in common was that they used this product. She told meaboutthis issue over 2 years ago. They should take it off the market or change it since this is a well known side effect.
ReplyDeleteyes, this has been a huge issue for at least a year. Ang fluoride is not good for you at all. google it, scary!
ReplyDeletei agree!
ReplyDeleteJust wondered if you were using this as a breath freshener? It has been shown that if you use any antibacterial rinse without brushing you have the potential to get stains. Its because its antibacterial, so if you are prone to staining then you will most likely be prone to this with other anti bacterial rinses as well. Someone I know did a test with this, when used after brushing she was fine, when she used it without brushing first she got staining. Its because the chemicals are adhering to the bacteria that is still on your teeth.
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same problem using this product. Within a month I started noticing brown staining at the gum line, between my teeth and even on the flat surfaces - staining so bad that my family started noticing, and my little niece asked her dad if I had taken up tobacco, or drugs!!! Embarrassing!
ReplyDeleteThank God it was just the mouthwash, because I can't give up my coffee! And thankfully, my dentist was able to remove the stains easily with normal polish.
Gave me stains Cleaning took so long that it threw my bite off which allowed my teeth to hit each other and now they are all cracked. This is one of the most horrible things that has ever happened to me. I wanted my teeth for life but after all this, I'm not sure if that will happen. SHAME ON YOU Procter and Gamble. Pull this product!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis problem with Crest Pro-Health rinse staining teeth has been talked about for 7 years and counting with large numbers of people reporting problems, but P&G has managed to keep hiding it from unsuspecting customers. I cannot fathom how that product is still on the market.
ReplyDelete