# Listerine Fresh Mint Vanilla **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340 "2006-07-20T14:43:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/1 "2006-07-20T14:43:49Z")
It’s “less intense,” my ass! They fooled me again! I tried the Listerine Citrus, and found it to be just as “intense” as the old stuff, “intense” being defined as the sensation of swishing the tender oral tissues with burning kerosene. Then, they made the same promise on their next product. New! Vanilla Mint! Less intense, but equally effective! Why, oh, why did my brain say, “Hey, Lissa, look at that! It’s vanilla! You like vanilla. Vanilla has never burned your mouth. Go ahead-- buy it. Your gums will thank you.” I managed to hold it in my mouth for about ten seconds before spitting it out and hurriedly splashing water on my burned tongue. My eyes were watering, and I actually rubbed my tongue on a towel. “What the hell happened to you?” Hubby asked, horrified by my red face and weeping eyes. All I could do was point to the offending Bottle Of Fire. I think this line of products must be designed for people like my grandmother, who feels that no “medicine” is effective unless it stings and burns like hell. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/2 "2006-07-20T14:46:58Z")
It may sting and burn like hell (that’d be beccause of the alcohol and a few other chemicals) but damn, the stuff works. I use it regularly, I never floss, and nary a cavity nor gingavitis to be seen. Oh, and I’ve always found that when you spit it out (around ten seconds) is the worst of it, but the pain goes sharply downhill after that. You mouth gets used to it. And, the more you do it, the more used to it it gets, till you don’t even notice anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/3 "2006-07-20T14:51:54Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > . Oh, and I’ve always found that when you spit it out (around ten seconds) is the worst of it, but the pain goes sharply downhill after that. You mouth gets used to it. And, the more you do it, the more used to it it gets, till you don’t even notice anymore. You know, an acquaintance once said the same thing about childbirth. She said right after the kid is born, you don’t even “notice” the pain any more, and after the third child, it gets much easier. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/4 "2006-07-20T14:53:18Z")
I use that stuff twice a day. I look at it as a challenge and test myself to see how long I can keep it in my mouth inspite of the burning. We tried Scope which, btw, doesn’t burn at all, but something happened to the Scope while it was being swished so that when I spit it out there were little squiggly threads of coagulated scope in the sink. Mr. Jones and I were a little put off by this and switched back to Listerine when the Scope had run out. I just purchased the Vanilla Mint yesterday. Bring on the burn! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/5 "2006-07-20T15:19:00Z")
_It tastes like burning!_ \ I kinda like the burn. To me, it is the feeling of germ death. ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/6 "2006-07-20T15:22:01Z")
You spit this stuff out? It is far too yummy to not swallow. I’m thinking about pouring some on chocolate chip ice cream, mmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/7 "2006-07-20T15:38:57Z")
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/8 "2006-07-20T16:35:40Z")
Am I the only one that can’t taste the vanilla? Or the mint for that matter? It just tastes like burning. But it gets better with practice. Of course then I have to rinse out my mouth a couple dozen times to make it stop burning and tasting like I just went to the dentist. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/9 "2006-07-20T16:51:07Z")
Where’d y’all buy it? I haven’t managed to stumble across it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/10 "2006-07-20T17:02:02Z")
I’ve had good luck with Crest’s Pro Health Rinse (I think that’s the name). No burn at all and it seems to do the job just fine. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/11 "2006-07-20T17:44:24Z")
I _like_ the Vanilla Mint. Like **Mindfield** , I think of it as germdeath. That orange flavored stuff is just freaking nasty, and the original Listerine is hideous. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/12 "2006-07-20T18:02:10Z")
> [@Lissa](#): > > I think this line of products must be designed for people like my grandmother, who feels that no “medicine” is effective unless it stings and burns like hell. I think you’re on to something. There used to be a spray-on antiseptic called Bactine that was marketed as something for kids since it didn’t sting when applied. I read (therefore it must be true) that the company added the “sting” back when people didn’t buy because they figured it wasn’t working otherwise. By the way, have you ever read the label for original Listerine? It’s supposed to be effective for athletes foot and dandruff. And I gargle with it. ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/13 "2006-07-20T18:06:34Z")
I actually like the original formula. Specifically, I like the way my mouth feels afterward and that there’s no artificial sweetener taste (bleah). Then again, I’m a whiskey drinker, so I may be a bit less sensitive to such things than many folks. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/14 "2006-07-20T18:12:42Z")
> [@BiblioCat](#): > > That orange flavored stuff is just freaking nasty, and the original Listerine is hideous. God yes! It smells and tastes like Bacardi O. Blech! ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/15 "2006-07-20T21:05:16Z")
> [@PoorYorick](#): > > By the way, have you ever read the label for original Listerine? It’s supposed to be effective for athletes foot and dandruff. And I gargle with it. I have read the original lable for Lysol. It gave directions for using it as a douche. I shit you not. Obviously, a lot of women were horribly burned by it, so they took the directions off of the lable. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/16 "2006-07-20T21:22:59Z")
I have a bottle of vanilla mint Listerine. Tried it exactly once – it left the worst aftertaste in my mouth. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/17 "2006-07-20T21:52:24Z")
My dentist recommended Listerine specifically (as I had some mild gingivitis). The hygenist said she liked the citrus flavour, so I got some on sale. The first time it _did_ feel like swishing with acid, but a few times after that it became quite pleasant, and I use it a couple of times a week now. I can’t imagine what the vanilla flavour would be like… now I’m intrigued. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/18 "2006-07-20T21:56:54Z")
> [@Mindfield](#): > > I kinda like the burn. To me, it is the feeling of germ death. That’s exactly what the Marketing Dept. had in mind. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2006, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/19 "2006-07-20T22:15:28Z")
> [@Nanoda](#): > > I can’t imagine what the vanilla flavour would be like… now I’m intrigued. 😃 Just like you would imagine Vanilla Mint with GermDeath would taste like. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shai\_tan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/listerine-fresh-mint-vanilla/365340/20 "2006-07-21T04:38:34Z")
Just bought the Vanilla Mint myself. Don’t care for the flavor too much. It’s not awful, but not as pleasant and “refreshing” as some mouthwashes. And it is most definately NOT less intense. I liked the Citrus one, and I thought that THAT one was less intense. The last bottle of mouthwash was Crest ProHealth, which had no burn and seemed to work well. I, too, noticed the little “squiggles”. I think that it’s just strands of mucus/saliva which has absorbed the dye used for coloring.