Beauty & Personal Care

I have been using Listerine Pre Brush Whiting rinse for some time now, and have noticed a whiter, brighter smile. One thing i have noticed about getting that extra think foam out after you use the rinse is to wash out your mouth with water. There are several benefits that come from using the Listerine mouthwash, and so far i can see many changes in my dental hygiene. I would recommend this product to anyone, sensitive to non sensitive teeth. PRoduct is also pretty inexpensive.

I too used the Listerine Whitening mouthwash. It burned my gums but I thought it would be okay if I rinsed afterward. It worked better with the rinsing but I think it made my crown come off....though I have no proof. It did make my teeth whiter but also smoother which is not good. I wish my vanity did not make me try it.

Do you use whitening toothpastes? Stay away from them. I didn't ever have this problem until I started using Crest Pro-Health toothpaste and Listerine mouthwash. I always used Tom's Natural toothpaste. I only switched when my dentist recommended the Crest Pro-Health and gave me a sample tube. I am throwing all of that crap away and switching back to my natural toothpaste immediately! I also along with the white-string like jelly substance have a lump like mucus knot in my throat. I noticed all the symptoms went away about a week after stopping use of Crest Pro-Health and any whitening toothpastes and mouthwash. I am so thankful I found this and one other site.

I used Listerine Whitening Pre-Brush Rinse last Thursday night. Friday morning my mouth was sore. Saturday morning my mouth had become painfully swollen. When a nurse looked into my mouth she told me that it looked as if it had been severely chemically burned. A week has gone by. I cannot carry on conversations for very long; I have difficultly eating; I have missed school days because of the pain. As I was reading many of the comments on this page, I wondered to myself why a WARNING is not placed on the bottle. Many people are experiencing unpleasant and sometimes painful side effects. Something should be done.

And, just to note, I followed the directions and I've never had any health or dental problems.

I have been using this stuff for about 8 months. I love it I have never had anything get my teeth white. I do have the film in my mouth, but after it whitens my teeth good I use it once a day or maybe every other day. I also have wisdom teeth problems and ever since I have been using this I have seen an improvement. I will continue it.

I used the listerine prebrush rinse and my teeth feel like sandpaper my enamel was disolved. It also caused my lips to swell and gums to receed. I threw it out right away. Ann

I think that the cause of the problem is not hydrogen peroxide, but the large percentage of ALCOHOL. It contributes to canker sores and mouth cancer. Go figure!

so the stringy substance that you have all been talking about is happening to me with CREST PRO HEALTH toothpaste. my lips always seem extra dry afterwords, but i haven't had any other side effects. although i like the toothpaste i don't find this stringy stuff appealing at all.

UNBELIEVEABLE. Two months ago standing in line at Starbucks I noticed something in my mouth. Got back into my car and stuck my tongue out and found this mouth full of slimy skin. Every morning driving to work now im running my tongue along the side of my mouth. Trying to get this crap out. At times I have almost gagged. Anyways, I WAS using CREST VIVID WHITE NIGHTS. I did wonder but after reading this...its pretty obvious. I'm pretty sure the white patch was caused by this too!

We bought a bottle of the Listerine Whitening Pre-wash and within two weeks I had a nasty black hairy growth on the back of my tongue. I found this site and was relieved to know I wasn't going to die and most likely what caused the ugliness in my mouth. Two weeks of no mouth wash and brushing my tongue cleared this up. Went to my dentist yesterday for a checkup and told him of my symptom. He said the mouth wash likely killed of the bacteria in my mouth that keeps the natural occurring fungus in check, thus the out break of fungus (black hairy tongue).

I haven't used the listerine version, but I've used the Scope White version, which is, essentially, the same thing. I very much doubt the validity of these claims of 'black fillings' and 'hairy tongue'. I did experience a little bit of shedding, however, off of my tongue, but I always thought my tongue had a build of of white-ish flesh before I used it, and now my tongue is a healthier redish colour. As far as peroxide is concered it is not in any way poisonous or bad for you. Certainly not at these concentrations. Although the reviewer said he is concerened about getting the product to 'adhere' to his teeth, peroxide really doesn't work that way. All it does is release its extra oxygen atom (peroxide is H2O2), and in doing so, whitens your teeth that way, as the oxygen acts as a bleach. But it does work over the long term and is also good for keeping a professional whitening whiter, longer.

I cannot comment on the black tongue thing. But I can address the white stringy filmy stuff. I have been using this stuff since it came out (2+ years) and I can say that it does work for whitening. But it also does cause that white stringy stuff too. And yes it's gross. However, it's NOT TOXIC, DEADLY or HAZARDOUS. It's the same stuff Peroxide will cause if you use it. The ingredients are not going to kill you and will not be taken off the shelf. Demand all you want.

If you want whiter teeth at a lower cost then I recommend this stuff. If I had a black tongue I might argue against. However, these comments of this stuff being evil...come on? It's peroxide. The stuff that foams on cuts. The film is just that, a film of the dead tissue and membranes in your mouth. I don't want them there anyway. So if the rinse gets finds it and removes it, so be it. So after I brush and rinse, I clean them out in the bathroom before I go to work.

It's not ACID people. My goodness, relax. If you want perfect white teeth then save up spend the money on a professional job. It may not be for everyone, but the crazy gibberish has got to stop. I mean really, "Acid", "Evil", "Pure Evil" "Burning My Skin Off" etc...

If you drink anything besides water, Listerene Whitening Rinse will not work. This includes soda, juice, coffee, sports drink, flavored water, tea, smoothies, and high amounts of milk (in moderation is actually good for your teeth). How do I know all this? My local dentist. :)

I've been using Liserine whitening pre-rinse for alittle over 1 month- 6 weeks, twice daily. I haven't experienced ANY of the problems discussed above. No hairy tongue & no skin peeling off my mouth. However, I also haven't noticed much difference in teeth color..... bottle says it takes about 12 weeks!! It better start soon!!

I just used it the first time and it turned my white cavities BLACK!!!

I sent a comment to Listerine via their website about the skin peeling from the inside of my mouth. Seeing all these comments here, I'm sure it's not the first time they've heard this, but their response to me was this:
_________

Thank you for contacting McNeil-PPC, Inc., makers of LISTERINE WHITENING® Pre-Brush Rinse. It is always important to hear from our consumers, and we appreciate the time you have taken to contact us.

A report of any unpleasant experience with any of our products concerns us. We would like for you to speak to one of our Customer Service Representatives directly about this issue and provide us with more detailed information.

Please call our Information Center at 1-800-223-0182, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you. Please reference the number in the subject line of this e-mail when you call.

We have forwarded your e-mail to our product safety department for their review.

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We look forward to speaking with you.

The Information Center
_____________

I think everyone who has a problem with the product should call.

This stuff is pure EVIL. It peels the delicate layer of skin off the inside of the mouth. Beware.

Awful experience. I'm reading all of these stories and I'm so glad I don't have the black/hairy tongue problem but I do get the strings and my mouth hurts badly. I have a sensitive mouth and figured out on my own that it was the rinse which I use on and off for about a month now. I'm never using it again at the risk of the hairy tongue.

It's now 11:48am and I brushed my teeth at 8:15 this morning...still hurts, still peeling. Awful. But I do have nice white teeth, but I had that before I used the rinse.

We should petition listerine to not only give us our money back but for putting our oral health at jeopardy.

i purchased listerine whitening mouthwash today for $8.97, i oncame on the net to research it to see if it was effective and found this site. After reading everyones results, fromusing this product, i think ill be dumping it in my bathroom drain tonight, before i start having any side effects, thats the last thing i need.

I have been using Listerine's Pre-Brush Whitening rinse off and on for a few weeks now, along with their fluoride rinse after I brush. I started getting flesh-colored goop in between my teeth and gums after using it a few times-- I figured it was the fluoride that was sticking to my cheeks, but after I stopped using the fluoride rinse, I noticed that not only was it still there, the inside of my cheeks was peeling as well. I could pull the skin off and it would come out of my mouth in strings. The product does seem to work rather well whitening, but I had to stop use after I my realization.

yay I AM SO HAPPY!!i thought there was something seriously wrong wth me when that lining in my mouth started coming off. this stuff was burning the skin in my mouth off! i stopped using this a month ago and still almost every time i brush my teeth that happens. it never ever happened before using this product. hopefully there is no real damage. obviously with this many people saying this something is not right.

I tried the whitening tooth rinse for the first time this morning. It was a store brand - Giant I think. I am not allergic or sensitive to peroxide. I am just now getting up out of bed after using the rinse and it is 7:30. Reactions: huge swelling of the little piece of tissue under the tongue; some swelling of face; nausea and what felt like a migrane for most of the day. Wish I had checked up on reactions before I used it but never occured to me that it might be this dangerous.

I'm so glad I found this now! I only started using this two days ago and my mouth has been burned and foul tasting the whole time. Decided to a web search on this product and will now be going home to throw the whole thing away before it gets any worse.
For shame, Listerine.

Sydney, Australia.

I am pleased to see I'm not alone with the black tongue. I thought it was a red wine stain but it wouldn't go away. I was worried but will now just discontinue the Listerine whitening rinse. I am in Perth Australia.

i also got hairy tongue from using this. my teeth are no whiter than they were. i am very disapointed and upset with listorine because of this.

Im glad I found this website. I have used the Listerine Pre-Brush Whitening and I did not understand that my gums was peeling. I thought it was just me. Also, I didnt see any change with my teeth color. I got Zoom in office whitening today very costly and a little painful...But my teeth are 4-5 shades lighter..

I've only started this Listerine Pre-Brush Whitening, and I'm already feeling weird; I've yet to receive any of this hair and slime or dark tongue that people have complained about.
I do not plan to continue, though (it's only been two days).
Prior to trying this, though, I tried the Hydrogen Peroxide and water gargling method, and I notcied that it tastes just like this stuff!
Sure enough, I looked at the ingredients to this stuff - and what do you know? - "Hydrogen Peroxide, Water".
Man - great thing I came to this website - guess I'll use the Crest Whitestrips!

I started using Listerine a few days ago and since then, my throat has got progressively worse as if there's a huge furball at the back of it.

Also, a whole bunch of sores have appeared on my tongue, making eating an extremely unpleasant experience. At first I thought I'd bit my tongue so I ignored it. Before I knew it, my whole tongue was hurting and is now covered in sores.

I've stopped using it now and wish I'd seen this site earlier!

God Bless all of you! I have been using this product for quite some time and within the last month my tongue feels like it is on fire. I immediately thought I had oral cancer but after doing some research and finding this website, I am so relieved. Going home tonight and dumping that stuff down the drain. Can anyone tell me how long it will take before my tongue feels normal again??

I used Listering Whitening Pre-Brush Rinse for the first time today. I probably didn't even swish for a full minute. After brushing my teeth I noticed my lip looked irritated. Looking closer it swelled up before my eyes! I took a 12-hour antihistimine right away and the swelling went down in about 45 minutes. I will be calling tomorrow to let the company know about my "adverse reaction."

I started using Listerine whitening last night, and am already seeing a gross lining on my tongue. And I can't tast anything, everything tasts like dirt. Glad to know it wasn't just me. I think I'll stop using it now.

I have been using the listerine whitening and now have some sort of bummpy rash on the back of my tounge. Gross!!! I think that this stuff needs to have some sort of side effects lable on it.

I started using the Listerine Whitening pre-rinse about 7 - 8 months ago. I assumed it may take a little longer to whiten since I am a smoker and a coffee drinker. My tongue always foamed when I used it, but it went away after brushing and rinsing. I did notice the dark tongue (but no hairy feeling) along with the sensitivity of the tongue. I noticed that I could no longer eat anything spicy, including ordinay pepper, without setting my tongue on fire. In June, I found a small "pea size" lump in my tongue. My doctor referred me to an Ear,Nose & Throat specialst. He diagnosed it as a Ranula and we made arrangements to have it removed. Before the procedure date, I found another lump - different than the first one - it had more "mass" to it. I advised the doctors office of it and repeated it to the doctor on the day of the procedure. (I quit using the rinse after the procedure so I wouldn't irritate the stitches) He removed the small lump but only took a biopsy of the larger one. Pathology report stated it was a Granuloma infection, which is a very nonspecific diagnosis.
After the healing (approximately 6 weeks) the second lump was still there but my mouth was feeling a little better, so I went back to using the rinse. Within 2 weeks, I had developed another of the "pea size" lumps on my tongue. This time I was referred to an oral surgeon, who removed both lumps (yesterday).

We have determined that the only changes I have made regarding my mouth was the Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse. Apparently it started with the sensitivity to spicy food and dark tongue, although I never put it together until this last episode with my tongue. I believe that this rinse is what caused the lumps in my tongue, and unfortunately, my tongue will never be the same, since the first procedure damaged the nerve endings in the front of my tongue.

So, if you are usng this rinse, please be very watchfull for ANY changes regardless of how insignificant you think they are. I believe that had I put it all together sooner, I would not have the problems I do now.

I tried the Crest Whitening Mouth Wash ( i think that's what it was), it was one of the whitenening products, which didn't affect me. For the past few months I have been using just regular Listerine mouth wash, and I also get that filmy white stringy stuff that I noticed comes sometimes after I rinse with it.

It was gross and was freaking out that it was some STD, but this put my fears to rest. Anyone else have this with any of the Listerine products, not just the whitening one?

Ok so I've been using CREST whitening Rince and vivid White toothpaste for about two months now. Just over a week ago, I noticed some white filmy stuff in my mouth and under my tongue. I didn't think much of it at first and it got to be worse and looked it up on the internet and it brought up this infection called Leukoplakia which is caused by smoking and chewing tabbaco which i do neither, so I went to my doctor and for some reason he did an HIV test, I never suspected that I have HIV, but he said that Leukoplakia is one of the first signs of HIV, so of course i'm freaking out and trying to figure out what other possible explination there could be for the white stuff in my mouth, then I thought about the whitening stuff and looked it up and found this site, Now I have white stuff along the side of my tongue as well, and what looks like white fur on my tongue, does this sound like some of the same things everyone else is experiencing from the whitening stuff because I'm dying for another explination other than HIV and I will not have my test results for another couple of days. Please help!

i am so glad i found this site!! i bort the listerine whitening rinse a few days ago. i have only used it twice but on thefirst rinse my mouth went quite numb and even after rinsing and brushing and rinsing my gums and inside of mouth had the stings. this led me to reading the ingredients. hydrogin peroxide... wtf? in my mouth that cant be gud, this led me to the research. i have also had problems with hydrogen peroxide in other products- clean and clear morning burst facial clenser caused my face to peel for weeks before i could pinpoint the cause. its crazy these things that manufacturers are putting in products.. is noone considering the safety of consumers these days..maybe not

I tried this product for a week before I quit using it. My tongue feels like it has been dipped in hot liquid, I seem to produce more saliva now and nothing has taste anymore. Thankfully, I have not experienced the discolored tongue and I'm hoping I don't. I have not used it in 3 days and will never use it again. I am also going to tell my friends to avoid this product like the plague!

For all of you who have this black tongue condition check out this info I found on a website explaining the causes for "Black tongue." By the way.. I hope all of you read the directions that stated to rinse in mouth before brushing? Considering it is called a prebrush rinse..

Hairy tongue (lingua villosa) is a common condition caused by defective desquamation of the filiform papillae that results from a variety of precipitating factors. Some of these factors include poor oral hygiene, tooth loss (because their soft diet does not allow for normal desquamation from rough food scraping the tongue), chronic or extensive use of antibiotics, and radiation treatments to the head and neck. Patients with hairy tongue are more often than not coffee or tea drinkers and often use tobacco. It is also commonly seen in patients who are HIV positive or use intravenous drugs, although there is no predictive value to the finding of hairy tongue. One would assume that it is the result of shared lifestyle habits such as poor oral hygiene, use of tobacco/marijuana, coffee drinking, etc.

Hairy tongue is often referred to as black hairy tongue (lingua villosa nigra), but it may also appear brown, white, green, or pink - often due to secondary factors such as mouthwashes, breath mints etc. The "hairy" areas are usually on the posterior (back) of the tongue and never involve the undersurface. Hairy tongue is not a harmful disorder, and is normally asymptomatic. Patients with hairy tongue often may develop a secondary infection of Candida albicans (thrush). It is unclear if hairy tongue itself is a predisposing factor, as the underlying causes of hairy tongue may also lead to the development of thrush.

Pepto-Bismol has been known to cause one's tongue and stool to turn black.[2] This form of "black tongue", however, is a result of the separation of bismuth from salicylate, forming bismuth trisulfide (Bi2S3) in combination with the sulfur found in saliva.[3]

So maybe it isn't just this mouthwash huh?

After a week of suffering, it looks like my boyfriend is going to be alright. He had bleeding gums, swollen throat. My doctor's office recommended that he use Benadryl & Chloraseptic. They said the fumes went down into his lungs and irriated them. The Benadryl helped reduce the reaction he had in his lungs and The Chloraseptic helped with the pain from the burns in his mouth. This is unreal.

The active ingredient in the Listerine Whitening rinse is hydrogen peroxide. For years dentists have sometimes recommended hydrogen peroxide rinses for the mouth. Hydrogen peroxide is antiseptic (kills bacteria) and is also a debrider - meaning it removes dead tissue. The film, or string white material found in the mouth after use of this product, is dead skin and mucus membrane sloughing off.

OMG...Finally I found answers to my boyfriend's symptoms. Poor guy! He is a truckdriver stuck out in the middle of nowhere with white canker sores, swollen tongue and raw throat!!! And he only used this stuff twice!!! TWICE! He brushed afterwards and rinsed with mouthwash. He has no way to get to a doctor or a dentist, cannot eat or drink and wants to just die. He is no wuss but this stuff is bad. This crap needs to be taken off the shelves, NOW!!! I cannot believe they sell it. It's got to be illegal! Who approved it? I will definitely find out who to call and complain and get it off the shelves.

I am SOOOOOOO glad that I found this website! I've been ALL over the internet looking for info on a "stringy white substance in mouth". I bought a tube of Crest's NEW Pro-Active toothpaste (like on the commercial that's all over TV right now), and ever since I started using it I've had a stringy white substance appearing in my mouth that WON'T go away! I've always been PERFECTLY healthy all of my life, so this was QUITE the mystery! Thank you so much for helping me solve it! I'm NEVER using these products again!

I started using Listerine Whitening about a month ago..couple of days ago, it felt like I had fuzz on the back of my tongue. Today it was back, and had some off-white stuff on the back of my tongue. Went to WebMD and thought I had thrush, but after finding this site, I find I'm not alone. I'm done using this stuff also!!

Oh thank god I'm not going insane! I've only been using this product for 2 days, and I've been experiencing the same "filmy" problem..and I do believe it is a layer of skin peeling off in your mouth! I mean it didn't hurt, but it freaked me out and grossed me out! IT TASTES HORRIBLE! NEVER using this product EVER again!

I get the white listerine caused stringy stuff to in my mouth from the pre-rinse

After using this product for about 3 weeks, I noticed my tongue was black. I thought I had cancer! I called the health line and, after describing my symptoms and discussing my prescription drugs with the nurse who took my call, I was referred to the pharmacist on duty. It was then I mentioned Listerine. The pharmacist put me on hold for about five minutes then told me she checked the internet and found there were many people who used this product and reported the same problem. I stopped using it right away and the discolouration is gradually going away. This product should be removed from the stores. I am going to complain to Cosco where I purchased it.

hi , i just got my tongue pierced for the first time , and my piercer recomended crest pro-health mouthwash .. well my gums in the front , right in the crevice of my lip has turned all white .. and when i scrape it off its red and bloody .. my tongue isnt but so swollen but i dont know what to do .. i tried using listerine but it burned up my entire mouth .. maybe im just overusing the mouthwash .. but my whole mouth is sore and i cant eat or barely talk right .. its only been 4 days since my piercing .. help because i cant seem to get it anywhere else

I haven't even used the Listerine mouthwash and I get that stringy stuff...it's ususally after I brush my teeth and I wait about 10-15 minutes and before I leave the house for work, I have to get a paper towel and wipe the inside of my mouth...I find it builds up primarly around my lips and tongue. I've been searching the internet but haven't found anything but this website...what to do when I don't use this Listerine product!?!?!?!?

I starting using the Listerine whitening 2 weeks ago, and this morning, when I looked in the mirror, I had a brown tongue! Needless to say, I freaked out and imagined that I had some horrible disease. Luckily I started searching the internet and found some information that guided me to this website. I am so relieved that it is nothing permanent. I will be pouring the bottle down my sink as soon as I arrive home this evening, and WOULD NEVER recommend this product to anyone!

I have never posted a comment before, but the daily experience of pulling that white film from my mouth drove me to it. I've almost had car accidents searching for tissue to wipe my fingers with. Sometimes I had no tissue. :(

What's worst is that I'm a high school teacher and have talked that film onto my tounge or lip. GROSS! I never wanted to be that teacher, but Listerine's Pre- Brush Rinse took care of that.

I've experienced it before with other Listerine products, but not as frequently. Ironically as I'm typing I've stopped to pull out another string. It's the afternoon (if you haven't noticed). However, it doesn't matter what time I use it, most times it's there.

I've spoken with a dentist about it and she had no idea what I was talking about. I've been tempted to use it right before an appointment, so she can see what I mean. Gross... I know, but it's that frustrating.

I want technical terms, potential dangers and treatments besides stop using it.

By the way the dentist did say that if a person has taken tetracycline(sp.) as a youth or adolescent they may experience a tooth yellowing that comes from within the tooth. While whitening products help, there isn't some great miracle, because as I've said it comes from within. If you're not sure of the medicine I'm referring to, it is often used to treat acne.

It's good to know I'm not alone on this stringy film experience.

DITTO everyone above...I was using Listerine Whitening rinse for about 2 weeks and I bought a nice bottle of wine and felt ripped off. It tasted washed out. Later I noticed I had a black tongue and started working to brush and scrape the hair off. I found this site since it seems this is the link! NO MORE listerine whitening...I want my money back!

I have used Listerine Whitening Pre-rinse for 2 days and this morning was totally freaked out when the inside of my mouth started peeling in slimy strings. Thank goodness I found this site. Putting this product on the market without a warning that this may happen is completely irresponsible and should be illegal! I can't wait to dump this horrible product!

I never used listerine in the past but once I saw the new whitening listerine I thought I would give it a try. I used it twice a day before brushing at morning and night. A month into use, I notice my tongue had a dark stain. I assumed it was something I ate but then the next day the stain remained.

I went to the doctors and was given an anti-fungal mouthwash. A week after eliminating listerine from my routine and using the anti-fungal mouthwash plus scrapping my tongue (in a direction towards the back of my throat) I was able to control the fungus.

Conclusion: Listerine whitening may be good for whitening your smile but not good for french kissing.

I can help but to crack up at these unfortunate horrible side effects - hairy/black tongue, are you kidding me?! Luckily I found this site before this happened to me.

I bought a HUGE bottle of this product three days ago, and have used it maybe 4 times. Just before I found this site, I left my office to go to the bathroom. I was checking my teeth out in the mirror, when I noticed my saliva was thicker and white around my gums at my bottom lip. Sure enough I was able to scrape some filmy stuff off the area. This is when I immediately did some research on the internet and found this site. GROSS!! I'm going to stop using the product immediately.

But yeah, what have doctors been saying about the said product? Surely it's not going to take a class action law suit to get this product off the shelves or at least make it include a warning. But I'm sure no one's going to buy a product with hairy tongue, black tongue, and the lining of your mouth peeling off as possible side effects.

I'd like whiter teeth but not at that expense!

My husband and I started using this product a week ago. We both do not notice any whitening so far. No side effects from my husband so far, but I have side effects mentioned in earlier posts. The white filmy, stringy mess after using the rinse and brushing is gross and annoying. Throughout the day my teeth feel as if the enamel has been stripped. The tip of my tongue hurts as if it was burnt with hot coffee and my taste buds look swollen. So far I haven't noticed any signs of black tongue or hairy tongue. I'm not using this product anymore to prevent any worsening effects.

I am so glad I am not going nuts. My husband uses listerine whitening like crazy. I used it two days and my tongue was on fire. I also started picking whitish slimy strings out of my mouth in the middle of conversations! I haven't used it in three days and my tongue still burns. This stuff can't be good for the fauna in your mouth. I even checked the bottle for warnings-nothing.

It was the same for me the burning and the layers of fuzz this is the Peroxide. Is it good to use this peroxize in your mouth it seems dangerous.
My mother use to gargle with peroxide and her mouth is all messed up now and I told her never to use that in her mouth and then I read on the bottle that this was in the Listerine and that can't be healthy for anyone.

did a little research - someone else's blog says it is:

"yeah, the listerine stuff is burning off a layer of the skin in your mouth. the slime is that skin."

all you folks that have gone to the dentist to see what that white stringy substance is that lingers for about an hour or so in the mouth, have you gotten an answer? what is the substance? Is it the rinse? Is it produced from our skin/saliva as a reaction? Can we knit sweaters out of it? Has anyone ever gotten it tested? please e-mail me an answer: miller@fordmiller.com I feel like Mulder in the X-Files - lots of evidence no answers!

Mark

I'm glad I stumbled across this site. For the past few months I have been using Listerine Whitening Pre-Rise. I thought there was something seriously wrong with me when I started having strands of skin pull of from inside my mouth. I'm visiting my dentist tomorrow and will hopefully get some answers from him. My guess is that the peroxide is causing my skin to slough off.

me too. after using it, my lips were so burnt and chapped that i could hardly eat. the doctor put me on three days of prednisone and plain crest to brush. i also had to rub hydrocortisone on my lips every three hours --tasted YUCKY! i couldn't believe a chemical this powerful is available to the general public, and with no warning.

My husband and I started using Listerine Whitening after my daugher said she'd been using it - I thought her teeth looked whiter. My husband hasn't had any complaints but I'm not thrilled about the long term peroxide taste and feeling. I also feel as though my tongue was burned by a hot beverage and nothing tastes the same. Even a chocolate-chip cookie tasted bad! I was going to keep trying but after reading all the peeling mouth, hairy tongue experiences I will give it more consideration. I agree - Listerine needs to make these side-affects public knowledge. I would have been pretty upset if I'd been a victim of black tongue, etc.

I'm so glad I found this site. I have been using Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse as directed for about one week. I also have been using colgate total whitening toothepaste for years (with no problems). I have had my teeth professional bleached about 15 years ago and have used Crest whitestrips, Rembrandt whitening and NiteWhite. None of the previous products have produced adverse reactions like the Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse. I have had the horrible strings of film peeling in my mouth everyday. The strings of film continue to re-occur after removing them. In the mornings it's unbelievable the amount of goup that as formed and the horrible taste. I will say I have noticed that my teeth are slightly whiter, however I have a horrible sour taste and slight burning sensation in my mouth and tongue that I can't get rid of. After reading other reviews and based on my expierence I will also stop using this product. I'm amazed that it's still on the market and without any warnings. To bad I did not do my research before trying it.

ok - I'll have to admit that I did not brush after, but rather - before.. But still, I think the bottle should have warned me about the hairy tongue side effect possiblity. This is gross! And apparently, it happens often enough for the warning to be warrented.
I'd say I used it for about 1 1/2 weeks before getting this wonderful hairy tongue. I can only hope that mine stays white and does not turn black.
My dr told me not to brush my tongue and to use a new mouthwash called peroxyl. Isn't the peroxide what gave me this to begin with? What has been most helpful for everyone that has had this?

I've been using this stuff for about a week now at my dentist's request.

Listerine is a long established brand, and they just plain wouldn't release something without thorough testing, and my dentist surely wouldn't recommend it if he hadn't had success with it himself.

I get the stringy goop, but this isn't the first whitening product I've used that caused it. I had some stuff years ago that was a gel you squeezed into a mouthpiece that you bit down into, and after it was all rinsed out, it would do the same thing where I have this stringy stuff in my mouth. That stuff really worked good, but caused a little pain in my teeth because its peroxide concentration was so high.

This stuff is working good, I've already noticed a slight difference after just a week.

I use it first, then follow with Crest Whitening gel then follow with listerine mint mouthwash.

For a couple hours afterwards I'm picking this goo out of my mouth, mostly between my cheek and gums.

Next time I see my dentist I'll ask him WTF, becuase it DOES seem like skin sloughing off, but probably is not.

As for those of you with major weird reactions, all I can figure is the same stuff that's already pretty well been said- either something else you're using is causing a bad reaction, or you are having some form of allergic reaction. Use only as much as it says ( a couple tablespoons... not much at all!) and only use it for as long as it says. Rinse thoroughly and brush immediately.

I've been using it since it came out.
I can't use strips because of uneven teeth. My teeth have much less plaque.
It did whiten my teeth so much so that my husband noticed and is using it.
Only negative is that there sems to be tissue that's sloughted off in our mouths.

I've been using Listerine Whitening for a couple of weeks now, and while I did notice some whitening, I, too got the stringy mouth (which certain tartar control toothpastes have given me in the past, incidentally.)I don't think it's a film, I think it's some kind of lining in the mouth. Anyway, I kept using it until yesterday - three days ago I developed a sort of cancor sore on my gum in the back - unusual for me, i never get them. Then my throat began to hurt on the same side, and now it has tiny blisters. I saw on another site that this is some sort of a condition caused or exacerbated by the Laurel Sufate. I haven't a clue if this is true - but I won't be using it again. And BLACK TONGUE? Yikes. No Thanks.

I bought this Listerine Pre Brush rinse and have used it for 3 times now. I understand and can deal with the fact that it does not taste well. I don't know where they get the "clean mint" from cause that is definately not the case. The problem is that I too like many others have had the stringy film build-up in my mouth. Also my mouth is EXTREMELY DRY and I can't even stand my own breath. I have brushed several times and can't get rid of the disgusting taste in my mouth. I don't know what all the chemicals are in this stuff but I don't think it's something people should be using in there mouth. I WILL DEFINATELY BE SENDING THIS STUFF DOWN THE TOILET!!

After using Listerine pre brushing rinse (several hours later) I ended up in the emergency room with a severe chemical burn in my mouth. I had to return several days later because my tongue burned so bad I couldn't stand it and had swollen to the point it was difficult to swallow. I was given prednisone and a mouth wash (used by children) but nothing helped. It has been three weeks now and my mouth still has some burning. My bottom lip which was touched last is still peeling and there are still cancor sores left. I hope everyone will be careful using this powerful rinse. P.S. I only use good old fashion baking soda to brush, no more scary chemicals for me!

I was diagnosed with mono a couple of weeks ago. Haven't seen any symptoms besides feeling tired and a sinus infection from being so weak. However, last night my tongue started feeling weird and I looked in the mirror and my tongue was BLACK!! I thought, maybe it was the choclate donut I just ate. So I brushed my teeth. Still didn't come off, so I reached for the mouth rinse...LiSTERINE PRE-rinse whitening to be in fact and my tongue burned. Thinking there is H2O2 in there, it would help, right? NOPE. Thank god I found this site. Because I seriously thought they had misdaignosed my mono for AIDS or CANCER. Now, I maybe a slight hypocondriact. BUT SHEESH. I am never using that crap again. I am sad though bc it made a difference in my teeth, but black tongue NO THANK YOU!!

Oh also, the bottle of Listerine whitening states that it will take 12 weeks, 3 months, to see 'results'. So I'm just using it as a replacement for my normal Listerine.

Well, listerine whitening IS a hydrogen peroxide product. If you're allergic to hydrogen peroxide, which at sensitive concentrations can hurt your mouth or cause allergic reactions then...don't use this, duh.

I like this product, didn't get any stringy, hairy or black tongue :-/ Make sure to swish for a full minute, maybe that will prevent any stringiness?

I have been using the listerine whitening mouthwash and i havent seen a diffence. I also get the stringy coating all over the inside of my mouth. After reading the comments on the black hair thing on the tongue im not going to use it again. I'm going to try out the crest whitestrips instead

I decided to purchase Walgreen's "Fresh Breathe Whitening Pre Brush Rinse". I have noticed the stringy residue between my teeth and lips. It almost feels like my mouth flesh is peeling! So, similar to Listerine's product, this one may have side effects. I am glad that I read this forum. I will return the bottle to Walgreen's. They offer a full refund to their products if you are not happy with it.

After using Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse for 5 nights ,my tongue turned brown too and it feels so bad. I am not going to use this product again and I appreciate all the above inputs.It's good to know that the tongue won't fall off.

Wow - I'm glad I read this posting. I have been using Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse for a about a month now (it came with the Listerine mouthwash). Although I have been using the mouthwash for quite some time, it was the first time using the rinse. Now I have black hairy tongue! Disgusting!! I'll stop using it tonight and hope it clears up quickly. Also noticed food hasn't been tasting the same.

I too have had the stringy remnants left in my mouth an hour or so later, along with the coated tongue. Although I have noticed it whitening, I will no longer be using this product because the cons outweigh the pros.

I think I see improvement with the Listerine Pre-rinse whitening. I hope I'm not imagining it though. Reading all the other posts about getting black and hairy tongue scared me a little, so I checked in the mirror and my tongue seems fine.. phew!

It sounds funny how others say that they get all these funny reactions.. maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones to not experince the reactions.

Overall, I think it works. My teeth seems a little whiter (been using it for two days now). And besides.. I don't need my teeth to rapidly whiten.. it can take it's time =D

I started using the Listerine Whitening a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday, I noticed my tongue was getting black. Scared the heck out of me. I've also noticed food hasn't tasted the same and my tongue is sensitive to foods. I looked up black tongue and got this site. Good to hear my tongue is not gonna fall off; but I'm not putting another drop of Listerine in my mouth. I'm 60 and never had a problem until I started with this stuff. Hope it doesn't turn the toilet drain black.

Will in Florence, SC

I, too, have found stringy skin-like milky residue in my mouth from using this whitening product. I just keep peeling it out in strings. It is very irritating since it makes me feel like I've got hairs in my mouth!

I tried the Whitestrips but I didn't like how the whitening goo got into my saliva and was hard not to swallow. So I've been using Listerine Whitening for about two weeks. I also use Tom's of Maine Anticavity Plus Whitening gel, which contains silica (and fluoride, which is important). I think the two are a good combination because the peroxide in the Listerine bleaches and then the silica scrapes off any residue. My teeth look a little whiter and I haven't had any bad reactions.

It sounds to me like the filmy, black stuff some people are getting is from bacteria or fungus reacting with the peroxide. I'd recommend thoroughly brushing teeth, gums and especially tongue immediately after rinsing with the mouthwash - using a fluoride toothpaste to kill bacteria - plus flossing daily. Lots of bacteria can hide between teeth and flossing gets rid of them. I use the mouthwash and brush in the morning (I don't use the mouthwash every day, probably 2 out of every 3 days) and at night I floss, brush and usually also use regular Listerine.

I will say the "it foams so you know it's working!" is B.S. They put sodium lauryl sulfate in it, which makes it foam and doesn't do anything else. It's purely cosmetic. Oh well, it doesn't do any harm.

I tried a few of the products mentioned and just wasn't satisfied with the results. It's not like my teeth were so yellow I could butter bread, but I wanted that movie star smile. *smile teeth glint*

I never tried the Listerine product and from the sounds of it I'm glad I didn't. I did try a product called Rembrandt, but was a little displeased with the results.

I was considering going to the dentist to have professional bleaching done, but the price made me think otherwise. I did some research however and found a place online that claimed to have direct from the lab bleaching kits.

Teeth Whitening Express

I was a little apprehensive at first due to the ability to make peoples teeth whiter with PhotoShop, but I went ahead and ordered anyway. Let's just say there is no substitute for professional bleaching. I use the high-intensity 22% bleach and it works great. Noticable difference after 2 uses.

I highly recommend this product.

I've been using listering whitening for about 2 wks and noticed a difference. My tounge is not hairy and film has developed. I think it works.

i also got hairy tongue from using listerine whitening. took about a month before one day boom! there it was. i'm not happy about it and i wouldn't recommend using it to anyone. i feel pretty gross.

I've been using Listerine Whitening Rinse and about 30 minutes after my whole gum lining peels off. It doesn't hurt it just strings out. It's really gross that i can rub off the inside of my mouth with my tongue. I haven't noticed any whitening either. This is my 2nd week with this stuff and I do everything correctly and use a whitening toothpaste with it. no difference.

I found the Listerine Whitening Rinse whiten my white fillings in my front teeth in just a couple of days. My dentist was amazed and is now recommending it to people who have used other methods of bleaching and still have dark fillings. I am still waiting for my teeth to whiten. I am using Crest 7 days strips and Colgate Simply White Night. They are whiter than they were but still are not as white as I'd like. They are whiter around the edges than the centers. I may just end up having the dentist "Zoom" whiten them.

I have been using the listerine whitening rinse for several weeks however at night I brish first then rinse. I have a brown filmy residue that flakes off if scraped with my fingernail. It does not brush off. I thought it was from eating black berries for breakfast until I checked on line and found out its the listerine causing it. My wife says my breath is better but so maybe some good comes out of it. I wonder if the residue is dead bateria that build up. I also wonder of there is tongue tissue involved since the skin below the brown scales looks very pink and tender - though it feels ok. Like another review, the feeling of fur on the tongue was happening everyday. If there is an explaination from Listerine that would be helpful since its difficult to remove the brown residue and you need to weigh the advantage against this problem. I believe its important to clean the mouth thoroughly after using it so the chemical does not cause this problem - though the bottle just says to use before brushing. Any new info will be appreciated. I thought it was just a tastier version of hydrogen peroxide, but I guess there is more to it.

I have not had any irritations, brown infected skin or any of these things. Maybe these people just have problems beyond the mouthwash that they need to get checked out. Theres nothing in this mouthwash that isnt used professionally to help clean/whiten teeth.

However, after about an hour or so I do notice strings of skin like pieces back in my mouth. I'm guessing its a chemical reaction or something. Doesnt hurt or anything and isnt actually skin, just some sort of film. But other than that, this stuff DOES whiten your teeth. I've noticed a big difference after using it regularly.

I noticed after using this product just a few times that my teeth turned YELLOW..............I just niticed it and I am very upset about it...........my teeth have always been white and I am really upset about this..........I hope someone can tell me this will go away soon............

I switched from listerine to listerine whitening and didn't like it. I used it for 2 months. I got the brown junk (which by the way makes morning breath 10,000 times worse) and my mouth didn't feel as clean. Also, I started using crest whitestrips during the day as well, and then when I used the listerine whitening my teeth BURNED! I switched back and all problems are gone :-)

Is it ok to use listerine whitening and not brush afterwords? Would it hurt my teeth? And do I still have to use regular listerine afterwords or does listerine whitening do everything the regular does?

I have had a reaction after only 4 days! My tongue & the inside of my lips feel as if there are irritated. It feels like I have been sipping on hot,hot coffee! I will stop using this immediately to see if irritaion goes away. You would think that they would put a warning on the label that it may cause these reactions in some people. Oh but wait, not as many people would buy their product. Glad I didn't buy the big bottle!

After using the pre-brush rinse for awhile, i noticed i had the feeling of having a 'fur ball' in my throat/tongue area. And guess what, I had a fur ball: black/brown in color. rammed the toothbrush down there quickly (due to the gag reflex response) and pulled out nasty black hair-like stuff from the base of my tongue. it's called Black Hairy Tongue or Lingua Nigra per WebMD. I will not use Listerine Pre-brush any longer. Tongue brushing/scraping seems to be the treament of choice.

I went to the dr. today because my tongue was dark brown and "itching and burning". I, too, had a residue on my tongue. He said it wasn't thrush but irritated. Now I know why..listerine whitening mouthwash. Thanks for the input.

After using Listerine Whitening prebrush Rinse for a few months. My tongue turned a dark brown with a residue that came off on my toothbrush. After 2 weeks of not using it again and brushing of my tongue, this went away. Has any body else had this happen?