Nice.
Cetylpyridinium chloride is the active ingredient in Crest Pro Health mouthwash. Proctor and Gamble product research says the rinse is safe and that their single blind study showed, “Side effects were minimal, with no between-group differences in hygienist-rated calculus or stain accumulation…” However, many have gathered at the Amazon page for the product to complain that it stains teeth brown.
333 Comments
I searched the web for info on what could cause the brown stains that began to appear on my teeth a few weeks ago. When I saw the comments about Crest Pro-Health mouthwash causing stains, I went and looked a the brand name of the mouthwash I started using about a month ago. It was Crest Pro-Health.
I got terrible stains from using this product. It’s nasty stuff and should be removed from the market.
4 reasons Pro-Health Mouthwash sucks:
1) Brown stains
2) The weird blue/green crap it leaves in one’s mouth.
3) Its “active” ingredient consists of animal by-product. (Right, active in turning your teeth brown! etc)
4) The sour taste it leaves in one’s mouth in conjunction with its power to make one lose taste sensation.
I’ve been using the Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse for about two weeks, and I’ve experienced a different concern. Possibly due to the junk that sticks on your tongue, I’ve lost the ability to taste anything. I’ve discontinued the product for four (4) days and I still can’t taste anything. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment this week. Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks in advance for any follow up.
I noticed today that my lower teeth had brownish look to them. I could not believe what I was seeing. I just got on the internet and looked up brown teeth and I got my answer.
I thank you so much.I have been using Crest Pro Health.
Uuno Kanto
I am another victim from this product. I bought Crest Pro-Health about 2 weeks ago and my first symptom after the 3rd day of use was salivary gland infection, which I thought had nothing to do with this product but I believe it does now. Now the bottom of my teeth as well as the top are brown. I wish I’ve known what was going on all along. I wish I can do something about it. Please let me know if my assistance is needed to make some sort of motion to this matter.
Julissa Durand
I went searching for the cause of the brwon stains appearing between my son’s teeth. He has always had trouble with bleeding gums, so we thought that it was because he is a mouth breather. We made sure that he brushed, flossed and used mouthwash twice a day hoping that he would get better. Now, after all this hard work, he now is developing brown stains between his teeth. Is this what is happening to everyone else?
Sorry to hear about all who have experienced staining from this product. I would urge all of you to contact the Food and Drug Administration to complain. You can do so via their website at www.fda.gov. The FDA is responsible for the regulation of mouthwashes and mouth rinses in the US.
Also, you can contact Crest to complain via their website. I have urged them many times to put a warning on the bottle that says that it may cause stains, but they appear to be very unwilling to do this (probably because the warning on the bottle would hurt sales!).
But I believe that Brook’s son’s experience is very common. People start developing brown stains from the product, but they keep using it, because the last thing they would suspect as the culprit is a “pro-health” mouth rinse. So the stains only continue to worsen, becoming even harder to remove.
Also, Crest has finally addressed the problem on their website, although I believe the response is entirely inadequate. See the following. http://www.crest.com/prohealth/dab_askStains.jsp The address several questions regarding the staining issue on this product. The answer, unfortunately, does not adequately reflect the difficulty of removing these stains. See, e.g. this question and their response: “As a Dental Hygienist, I have noticed more black staining in my patients using Crest ProHealth Rinse. Is there chlorhexadine in this like Peridex?”
Noticed my bottom teeth beginning to stain a few days ago. Surprise surprise, I’ve been using the crest rinse for a couple of weeks. I called Crest (1-800-285-9139 ) told them what was going on and a very pleasant woman asked the lot number of the bottle and what my mailing address was so they could send me a refund.
There may be problems with the pro-health rinse but at least their customer service is still good.
I got brown stains from the Crest rinse. Most of the stains came off, but only after a long and expensive appt with my dental hygienist. I complained to Crest. They offered to reimburse me for the cost of the cleaning and the product, but I never actually received any money. I will never use Crest products again.
I got brown stains on my gumline and in between my teeth from using this product. very hard to remove and cost a lot. I wholeheartedly do NOT recommend that anyone use this stuff.
I am a dental hygienist with over 10 years experience. I have NEVER seen such staining from an over-the-counter product! The staining is dark, heavy, and very tenacious to remove. I thought the stain was from the Prohealth Toothpaste because of the Stannous Fluoride that is in it — so I had my patients discontinue using it. To my surprise…3months later for their next cleaning — STAIN! I will NEVER recommend this rinse again! We recommend HEALTHY GUMS RINSE which is all natural and has the same antimicrobial action as chlorhexidine.
I have been up all night wondering why my lower teeth are so stained. I am not getting any rest. Instead I started making up a list what I have been doing since my teeth were cleaned one and a half months ago.
My teeth were cleaned in January. Right after that I started using Crest Pro Health Rinse to guard against bacteria because I need a kidney transplant. Two days ago my dentist was shocked at how my teeth looked. I was devasted when pictures were taken of them and showed to me via computer. Not being able to sleep I browsed the internet to look up how to remove brown stains from our teeth.
WOW!!! Was I shocked to find this site. I will be calling the Crest telephone number given because it appears that this next dental cleaning is going to be costly and time consuming for me. Timing and my health is everything to me right now especially since both my kidneys are failing and I am looking for a Living Kidney Donor. This added problem is not what I need right now!!!!!
I have been up all night wondering why my lower teeth are so stained. I am not getting any rest. Instead I started making up a list what I have been doing since my teeth were cleaned one and a half months ago.
My teeth were cleaned in January. Right after that I started using Crest Pro Health Rinse to guard against bacteria because I need a kidney transplant. Two days ago my dentist was shocked at how my teeth looked. I was devasted when pictures were taken of them and showed to me via computer. Not being able to sleep I browsed the internet to look up how to remove brown stains from my teeth.
WOW!!! Was I shocked to find this site. I will be calling the Crest telephone number given because it appears that this next dental cleaning is going to be costly and time consuming for me. Timing and my health is everything to me right now especially since both my kidneys are failing and I am looking for a Living Kidney Donor. This added problem is not what I need right now!!!!!
This looks similar to the effects of fluoride. Brown staining from fluoride is called dental fluorosis and it is one of the problems experienced in areas where the tap water is fluoridated.
Started using Crest PRO-HEALTH a few days ago, (along with my normal crest toothpaste) I now have a black toungue, mild teeth staining, a permanent aftertaste and worst of all a burning sensation (like a chemical burn) in my mouth.
Wow! After looking around on here and Amazon and discovering it was the mouthwash I will *never* buy any Crest products again.
How did this get on the market?
Is it just the blue stuff or is the new green stuff just as bad?
I think it’s the Crest Pro Toothpaste as well. I’d previously been using Crest Extra Whitening toothpaste but the Crest Pro was on sale so I picked up a tube to try. Lately I had noticed the same thing people have mentioned about their lower teeth around the gumline having stains on them. On the inside of my mouth the eight bottom teeth have brown stains near the gumline and on the sides of my incisors as well. I use a Sonicare toothbrush so I have no idea if this sped up the staining process or not. I’d never had any stains on my teeth previously and was proud my teeth were clean and white. I didn’t even know about this issue with the product until I read about the rinse on a bulletin board and decided to use google for more info. Thankfully I hadn’t been using the rinse as well or I imagine the staining would have been a lot worse. I’m still pretty pissed about the whole thing.
I started using crest pro health mouth wash about 3 weeks ago. I had neve had dental problems but all of a sudden my gums are cracking and bleeding. Is it because of crest pro health? Has anyone else had this problem? Please feel free to email me if you like. kylecrs@yahoo.com
I haven’t been using the mouthwash , but the pro health toothpaste. After 10-15min of using, i get a thick slimmy flim along my bottom lip and gum line. I don’t know if it’s thick salavia or dead layer of skin. i have to wipe it out with my finger. It’s gross and very annoying. I looked up side effects of the toothpaste and found another guy with the same problem. I’m not allergic to anything and never have been. I’ve also had some problems with breathing which may be linked to excess mucus. Not sure if it has anything to do with it. My uncle is a doctor so i plan on letting him know.
Oh my. I have only been using the mouth wash for five days and for the last two days I have not been able to taste food! I am shocked to find that is due to the mouthwash. Not to mention the bluish green chunks left in your mouth….and to hear that brown spots on my teeth are next. No thanks. Back to Listerine it is for me! Crest should really warn consumers about this possible effects of this product.
I thought I was sick or something, but after finding this site, I am completely shocked and disgusted. I started using Crest Pro-Health about a month ago. I did notice the funky after taste that would last well into the afternoon of the next day. To make matters worse, food began to taste really bad. I also noticed the funky blue bits others have mentioned. So now, I suppose I have to worry about whitening my teeth. I will tell everyone I know not to use Crest Pro-Health. I doubt I will ever use Crest products ever again. Thanks for posting this site.
I used to use the mouth wash before I went to bed and I would wake up with a thick film in my mouth too. Since I quit using the Crest mouth wash my gums stopped bleeding and cracking and returned to normal. I’m thinking it might have been an allergic reaction but I’m not sure.
From a recent Amazon comment:
I’ve been trying to get P&G to put a warning on the bottle for months. There was an article about the staining problem associated with the Crest rinse in a recent edition of the Cincinnati Business Courier. P&G is HQ’d in Cincy, and is a big employer there, so (not surprisingly) the article had a big P&G bias. In the article, P&G claims that only 3% of the users experience staining and that the stains are “not harmful”. Well, I’m very skeptical of that 3% estimate, because I’ve heard of this happening a lot. Also, I would disagree with the “not harmful” part, because the stains are VERY difficult to remove.
Also, the article states that putting a warning on the bottle would hurt sales. No kidding! Here’s a quote from the article from a dentist who is critical of the product:
” “Why risk market share for the sake of doing the right thing?” said Dr. Tom Hedge of the Dental Health Center in West Chester. “People shouldn’t have to go to the Internet to find out why their teeth are turning brown.” ”
I agree with him 100%. There needs to be a warning on the bottle. But here is how the P&G spokesperson responded (in the same article):
” Procter has been aware of the staining possibilities, as has been the FDA, since the development stages of Pro-Rinse. “But because of the science behind it, it cannot be avoided,” spokeswoman Laura Brinker said. “The health benefits outweigh a very small percentage of the population who would be affected by it.” ”
What a bunch of hooey. Here’s a novel idea for P&G: why don’t you just put a warning on the bottle that it can cause brown staining, and let the CONSUMER decide if the “health benefits” outweight the risk of staining?
Last night I was shocked to notice brown stains on my teeth and immediately made the connection to recently starting with Crest Prohealth. Looking for answers, I searched Google and found this site. This is quite disappointing because Crest Prohealth is miraculous in controlling my tartar build up problem. I’m going to try the Crest Prohealth Wintergreen, as Crest suggests, to see if it does not stain.
Mike, it is true that Crest blames the staining problem on the “blue dye” in the Mint rinse. However, I have also heard of significant and tough staining from the Wintergreen flavor. IMO, the culprit is the main ingredient — the CPC. I suggest that you do some google searches on CPC — perhaps start with the wiki article which has some good links. CPC has been known for years to cause serious staining as a side effect. Crest had to have known that when they launched the product, but they still refused to put a warning on the bottle. As stated in the article I quoted above, why risk market share for the sake of doing the right thing?
Also, IMO, rinses and mouthwashes are over-rated. Good dental hygeine and tartar control is 99% about careful brushing and flossing the right way. However, if you do feel the need to use a mouth rinse, I would strongly suggest that you choose one that is approved by the ADA. Listerine is approved by the ADA, but there are others as well. Crest Pro-Health Rinse has not been tested and approved by the ADA.
I’m new to this, but I found this site because I am having a version of the “no taste” problem as well after using Crest Whitening Rinse for 3 days. Beej, did your taste ever return to normal after the 4 days and what did you doctor say? I don’t know if this is an allergic reaction to something in the rinse, a chemical reaction/burn on my tongue (it doesn’t hurt), or what? The FDA needs to be informed…
I have used Crest Pro-Health for some time now and had not made the connection between it and the brown stains appearing on my teeth. When I went for a dental cleaning today, the hygienist was shocked at how stained my teeth were (AGAIN!) when I do not smoke, drink cola, coffee, tea, or wine! I was completely baffled but finally did a search on the internet and found this site! I am SO happy to finally have an answer to this mystery and also outraged that it is allowed to continue! I will be calling my dentist tomorrow so she can warn others not to use this product!!
I have been using this product for almost a year now. I had never had problems with oral hygiene until i started using this product. But of course I never made the connection since my teeth turning brown made me use the mouth wash even more! Thank for the site guy!! I used to use the blue one, and now have the green one. But NOW i will use none of them! Word needs to get out about this product, I’ve been using this product for so long and my dentist was wondering why all of a sudden i’ve been having staining problems!
SPREAD THE WORD!
Same thing. Started using this product a week or so ago and major embarassing brown stains on all teeth, frontal surfaces as well as darker in between.
I usually use ACT but was in Costco and saw a 2×1.5 liter pack of Pro-Health (blue) and figured I’d try it as I use Crest toothpaste without problems.
I have emailed a complaint to Crest asking for (a) the recommended way of removing the stains and (b) how I get compensated for any products or services that may be needed to do so. I will also file with FDA.
Costco is often used as a “dumping ground” (nothing against Costco - they’re great and have the best meat and excellent values). I wonder if that’s what crest is doing.
got stains on bottom teeth. lots of brown stains. when I had my teeth cleaned this week I mentioned this to the hygienist and she asked about coffee and tea consumption. I hardly every drink either. No wine either. she asked if I use a mouth rinse. I told her Crest Pro Health. She said that could be what’s causing it. shocking! I thought I was doing such a good thing for my teeth and it ended up staining my teeth! They should be sued!
I left the last message (as “anonymous”) and wanted to add a p.s.
p.s. I’d be very interested in reading any postings from people who find out about being reimbursed or compensated for the wasted product and, especially for products and services to repair/remove the stains. thank you.
Kathy, the first step is to contact Crest and complain. You can do this via email at their website, but there is also a phone number. I would suggest calling them instead of emailing. They offered to reimburse me for the cost of the product, provided I sent a store receipt. They also offered to reimburse me for the cost of the cleaning, provided I filled out a questionnaire that they would send me. I have dental insurance, so most of my cleaning was covered (even though it was a 2-HOUR appointment and she couldn’t even remove the stains in some of the tougher spots).
Anyway, I never got the questionnaire, despite asking for it three times. I don’t think they ever intended to reimburse me for anything. This is irresponsible, unethical, despicable corporate behavior at its worst.
As such, your best bet is to return the bottle to the store where you purchased it. Even if you didn’t save the receipt, they might refund your money, if you explain what happened.
And please report this to the FDA as well (via their website). At the very least, I’m hoping we can get P&G to put a warning on the bottle (although they certainly don’t appear willing to do so, for fear that it will hurt sales). The consumer should at least be made aware that brown staining is a common and significant side affect with this product. (IMO, this product should be off the market altogether. Or it should require a prescription and only be used under the care and supervision of a dentist).
Thx for your post and thx to Andy W. for helping get the word out.
I too have been going crazy wondering why my teeth are turning brown and my gums turned a sickly pink, the pigment is all washed out of them. Thought I had oral cancer until my daughter started to complain too. The problem is Crest Pro Health Toothpaste! Got a coupon at my last dental visit and started using it, mailed a tube to my son and he said his tongue went numb.
I started using the product in the fall when i came down to the states for a trip to vegas. As usual i didn’t bring any thing as i always buy hygiene stuff when I get to the destination. I have severe brownage on the back side of my lower teeth to the point where its starting to curve around the front. I have stopped using the product along with the crest whitestrips. It seems that it is still building up even though I have stopped using these products.
Is there any products that will help whiten my teeth without anymore damage or should I go see my dentist?
well - i dont have brown stains but my front teeth are achy - and my gums are inflamed to the point that i thought i had burned my mouth. the ache and pain is constant - goes away slightly during the night but it HAS to be the toothpaste… i bought the set - Pro Health toothpaste and mouthwash - i noticed some greenish blue “gunk” when i rinsed but i thought it was just some left over toothpaste in my mouth… i went searching the web because of the pain tho… no one here mentioned that so if anyone has gum soreness, redness or aches, please comment! im just going to stop using it, but this is ridiculous! Crest is supposed to be a good product!!!!
Today I was driving in my car and looked at my teeth in the mirror. Creepy brown staining between the teeth! I thought I had a terrible disease… thank god for the internet, and thank you everybody for writing about Crest Pro-Health with the damn Cetylpyridinium chloride. They better pay for my next dental cleaning!!!
This is weird! I was driving myself nuts trying to figure out why my teeth around the gum started turning brown. It is even more weird that I noticed it in my review mirror one day as well. The only thing I could relate it to was Crest Pro-Health. I’ve used about a half bottle and I can’t believe what it has done to my teeth. I take very good care of my teeth and inspect them daily. I’m relieved to see that other people had this same issue, but concerned as I don’t know what to do now to fix my teeth.
For JD and all of you other folks who have experienced brown stains on your teeth from Crest Pro-Health Rinse — if you call and complain to Crest (which I urge you to do), they will tell you to use a power toothbrush to remove the stains, and they will offer to send you some coupons for Crest teeth whitening products. But that’s a joke. These stains are nasty (if you don’t believe me, ask your hygienist!) and you need to go see your dentist to have them removed.
The good news is that the RDH should be able to remove the majority of the stains. However, some of the stains in tougher places (between teeth, behind teeth, etc) may not come off. The bad news is that it will probably take a very prolonged, uncomfortable and expensive dental visit.
But I would definitely advise you to see a dentist. Don’t attempt to buy a scalar or other instruments and do it yourself, because you may actually damage your teeth or gums by doing that. Let the professional take care of it.
this same thing is happening to me as well. I used about half the bottle and my teeth have all nasty brown stains between them. From your experience do these go away on their own at all or do you have to see a dentist? I dont have time for this!!!
Kara –
You have to see a dentist. The good news is that a skilled RDH will be able to remove most of the stains. But when you call and make the appt tell them about your problem and to schedule a little extra time. Because these stains are tough to remove. But they should come off.
Chinguen a su madre gueyes, me asuste un chingo con la lengua negra , devuelvanme mi lana y chingo a mi madre si les vuelvo a comprar nada de sus pinches productos y ademas la voy a regar por todos lados son una verdadera cagada sus productos y todos ustedes pendejos
Testimonial: Exhibit A
1)Look at your teeth in the mirror. 2)Chew up one or two strawberries, let sit along gumline for 5-10 minutes. 3)Look in the mirror again. Presto, whiter teeth! Repeat as needed, no need to call me in the morning, this WORKS!!!
I can’t believe I just came across this information. The Crest Pro-Health toothpaste took the skin off my inside lower lip every time I used it. I threw it away. I didn’t connect it with the brown stains I’ve been so upset about, that keep getting worse.
This stuff is crap! I got nasty stains on my teeth that took over an hour to remove. don’t use this unless you want brown teeth. someone should sue.
I am SO glad I found this site! Thank you all for your input! I have a similar experience to add. Since using Crest’s Pro-Health Mouthwash, I too have been getting brown stains all along the gums of my mouth and in the crevices between my teeth. I’m a heavy tea drinker–coffee occasionally–but before I started using the rinse, I never got these type of dark brown grainy stains! I went to my dentist about a month ago, who was able to easily scrape them off… but she could not provide any answers. Now I know.
I am so disgusted that Crest would release and promote a product such as this. What a horrible product made to create new problems in consumers so that they will eventually buy more more more! That’s what they want, right?
I’m definitely going more natural. The use of chemicals in these type of products are just frightening.
Add me to the list. Brown stains all along gumline after 3 weeks of use. What a horrible product — ;
I also am suffering from this. I found this site in response to this problem. I have emailed Crest just now and am awaiting a response. As a young professional interning in NYC I do not have the time to go to a dentist for another month, this is simply unacceptable from a product whose main purpose is to keep teeth cleaner. There should be some kind of retribution from all of us towards Crest. The minimum of which should be getting reinbursed for the dental cleaning required to fix this.
I started using Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash about a month and a half ago. I now have started noticing a dark brown color in between my bottom front teeth. I assume that the cause would be from using this product..?
I didn’t use it long enough to develop stains, but I stopped because of the loss of taste sensation. When I used it in the morning I still couldn’t taste my food at lunch time, (imagine Fritos tasting like paper!) I stopped after just a couple of days and everything is back to normal.
I stopped using the mouth wash the day after I lost my taste. That was 4 days ago and absolutely no improvement. Anyone who had long term loss recover??
I have been using the Crest Pro Health rinse for about 10 months now and first developed brown stains between my teeth after only several weeks of use. I went to my dentist a few months later and was told that this product was most likley to blame. I had my teeth cleaned and went home and continued to use it. Well of course it came back again the same way, so I was convinced! I kept using the product temporarily since it did remove plaque and my next cleaning appointment was coming up shortly. However,this was not the worst of it! I have had an intermittant foul taste in my mouth starting the same time that I began using this product.(Now that I look back in retrospect) Randomly any time of the day I would get a kind of rotten/sickening taste in my mouth that would last for several minutes at a time or more. Sometimes it seemed to happen whenever I yauned or just opened my mouth wide. Lately I found that I could produce this ill effect whenever I would brush the roof of my mouth just behind my front teeth. So… I stopped using it and “Low and Behold” within 2 days no more bad taste!! It has been several weeks and absolutely NO reoccurance. Apparently the rinse effects either the saliva glands or mucus production in the mouth. I trusted the brand name of “Crest” since it is one of the biggest names in dental hygiene. It was hard to believe that a product like this would be released on the market without more testing or warnings. Perhaps in these days of “lobbyists” rather that ordinary people (who vote) controlling our destiny, we must question more and trust less. I hope this will help someone in the future.
I just got my lip pierced. The people told me to use crest pro health mouth wash. After one use i am not able to taste anything at all. I have a mild burning sensation on my tounge. I just found this webpage and im glad to say my husband is e-mailing it to Fox News. I have read many things tonight about this mouth wash and I’m shocked to see what it is doing to people. I will NEVER use their products again!!!
Add me to the list. This is a great product … for anyone who is interested in having their teeth turn brown. Screw Crest. I will never use their products again.
I’ve been using Crest Pro-Health Wintergreen rinse once a day for less than two months now since my last periodontist cleaning. They recommended it because Listerine irritated my gums. I now have light brown stains between my teeth and along my gumline. It looks just like when i had to use Peridex for a short period, although it’s not quite that bad….not yet anyway!….I’m going to stop using it.
Those of you who had your dentist alert you to the problems with this stuff are the lucky ones. At my last cleaning, I was told it was poor dental hygiene. Since I’m obsessive about flossing and brushing (I go through a thing of floss each week), I was puzzled.
Guess it’s time to find new dental products and a new dentist!!!!
I used Crest Pro Health daily for six months and my teeth became unbelievably stained.
The hygienist couldn’t remove all of the stains. I blamed it on tea.
I continued to use the product and the stains reappeared. I began to think that the mouthwash was causing it. I had my teeth cleaned again and haven’t used the rinse since. My teeth are still clean except for spots that couldn’t be removed. There should be a warning on this product.
I always used LIsterine but was looking for something with less tingling, so I switched to Crest Pro-Health, the green kind. Within 3 weeks I got brown stains. I went to the dentist yesterday and it took her an hour to scrape and sandblast the stains off. They look perfectly white now.I guess the sooner you see the dentist, the better your chances of getting the stains off. She used a baking powder substance to , basically, powerwashed my teeth after extensive scraping. I e-mailed Crest and complained, and went back to using Listerine, but diluting it a little like the dentist suggested to take the tingle out of it. My case was the first that my dentist heard about with this rinse causing stains. She is calling her Crest rep to complain.
Yikes! I thought it was just because I’m growing old that I was having the ropey saliva problem and the dead tastebuds and horrible aftertaste! But I asked my dentist, and he said I was the 2nd person this month to ask about it. No teethstaining, but that may be because I’m using the “cinnamon” version, which has no cinnamon flavor whatsoever. My dentist said he’s called and written the company, but has gotten no response. A friend at a local TV station may do a story on this — that might get to the marketers at Crest!
Wow, I just bought this rinse to try something that wouldn’t burn like Listerine but the aftertaste it left for HOURS was just horrible so I asked my kids today if they wanted to try it since I didn’t really like the aftertaste but it’s a good thing I decided to look this up on the Internet also. I just removed the bottle from the kids’ bathroom and complained to Crest!
Thank you for this website! For a week, I have thought that I had some sort of oral cancer being given the blackened tongue, the numbness and burning sensation, and the permanent bitter aftertaste in my mouth. Who would have thought that these symptoms might stem from something produced by a trusted brand name in ‘oral care’ such as Crest? Ironically, I kept using it more frequently thinking it might help if I (hopefully) had some sort of oral fungal or bacterial infection instead of cancer. I will never ever buy another Crest product again, and I’ll think twice before buying anything else from Procter & Gamble!
Has anyone really tried to complain? I have tried the FDA, the Procter & Gamble Co., & Crest and it is very difficult to register a complaint. The red tape is incredible. I tried to notify a local TV reporter who is concerned with health issues. We will see…
I am shocked to read about this product. I also noticed very dark brown stains between my teeth and have been using this product. I paid $500 for teeth whitening last year. I hope the stains do come off in my next cleaning. I am going to dump the remainder of this product down the sink and look for something else to use.
art — yes I have complained to both the fda, via their website, and P&G via telephone. I know several other RDH’s who have lodged complaints via the fda. The fda website is a little tricky to use, but please take the time to register the complaint. Maybe if enough people contact the fda, they will ask P&G to take this product off the market — or at least make them put a warning on the bottle.
P&G has offered to reimburse several patients for the cost of the cleanings (and some of the tougher stains don’t even come off!), but I’ve never known anyone who received money. Instead, they set up all these impossible hoops for you to jump through, and give you the run-around. I’m convinced that they just don’t care.
Really, the best thing you can do is spread the word, via personal contacts, the internet, etc.
here is a good review of the Crest Pro-Health staining problem from Associated Content.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/329105/crest_pro_health_toothpaste_and_rinse.html
I started using Crest pro-health mouthwash and liked it but I did notice that my teeth were less white. That didn’t bother me too much but then I added the Crest pro-health toothpaste and as in another post here, I experienced red sore gums and mucous membranes in my mouth. The inside of my mouth was bright red and swollen. I thought I had a fungal infection or mouth cancer but in was simply a sensitivity reaction to whatever is in Crest Pro-health. Not using it has made my mouth feel a whole lot better.
After using this product for 2 days, I can’t taste anything. For those who have experienced this, has taste returned?
I started using Crest ProHealth Toothpaste & Rinse about 3 weeks ago. I now have dark brown and black stains in-between my front lower teeth! I look like a seasoned smoker instead of someone who has always taken care of their teeth. I just had my teeth cleaned and told my dental hygenist that I started using Crest ProHealth and she said that other patients had reported teeth staining too. I will be raising hell with Crest and the FDA about these products.
I thought I was crazy but I am glad to have found this site. I used Crest Pro-Health rinse ONCE and had loss of taste immediately, lasting well into the next day. I too had the chemical burning sensation on my tongue. Mistakenly I thought it was just my imagination or that my mouth wasn’t used to “optimum” oral hygiene; however I tried it a few days later and same result. The loss of taste lasted about two days. This is very concerning and hopefully the word will get out into mainstream media since it appears P&G, Crest, and the FDA are unable to adequately address these problems.
I can not believe this. I too have noticed brown stains on my teeth after using Crest Pro Health which was recommended to me by my hyginest. I have used this product for about a month now. I WILL NOT be using any more crest products. I have always had beattiful white teeth, now my mouth looks likeI have smoked all my life or drunk a lot of coffee/tea. I have done none of the above. I will be contacting my dentist office along with Crest and the FDA. I want my pretty white teeth back…
My wife and I had been wondering why the hell our teeth had been getting dark brown stains inbetween them, and we looked for answers everywhere–the local water supply, our diet..etc. We at last suspected it might be the mouthwash, so I did a google search. Sure enough, not only was it the mouthwash, it was exactly the same brand and product(Crest Pro Health).
I went to Google and typed in my teeth are turning brown. It showed this website. I can’t beleive it, I’ve been using Crest Pro Health mouthwash every morning for months. Now my teeth are so brown I can’t smile. Has anyone started a class action law suit?
I posted complaints about this product with the FDA, Crest and the American Dental Association. Crest sent me a check for $5.99 to reimburse me for the product, the FDA just e-mailed me a blanket “thank you” for the complaint, and the ADA did not respond. I’ve switched back to Listerine and have no more brown stains.
I have been using Crest Pro Health rinse and loved the feeling it left in my mouth, and used it for about a month after my teeth cleaning. I was driving down the road and looked in the mirrow ( with the bright sun ) and thought some of my dinner was stuck in my teeth. I got home and looked again and was horrified my teeth ( bottom ) was so stained
like it never was before. No I don’t smoke and a light coffee drinker and have never had stains like these before. I was shocked and looked on the internet to find this site!
I will be dumping my very expensive bottle down the sink today and just hope it did not mess up my younger children’s teeth!
I came across this website while searching for a reason for my taste loss. I’ve only used this product a couple of times now and do not have any staining - just a complete loss of taste sensation. Thank goodness my children never tried this stuff. I’m throwing the bottle out after I post this message!
OH MY GOD. I cannot believe I found this site. I went to google and searched “How to remove brown stains from between teeth” and up came this site. I’ve been using Crest Pro Health toothpaste for at least 6 months and the undersides of my front and lower teeth are all stained a streaky brown. It is disgusting. Of course when I discovered the stains, I just brushed more with the Pro Health. I’m really bummed because I was excited to finally find a whitening toothpaste for sensitive teeth b/c all the other stuff makes my teeth super sensitive. I’m switching to Colgate ASAP and e-mailing Crest tomorrow. I will never use Crest again - I hope they get sued. I’m still in shock.
I’ve been using Crest ProHealth rinse for 3 months to help combat gingivitis. This morning I finally noticed deep brown staining at my gumline. Not only that, but I wear a mouthguard at night and it’s turned a brownish color, too. It is inexcusable for the company not to disclose significant product side effects on the product label. If this were a drug (and P&G thinks they can do pharmaceuticals, too), this would spark a huge outcry. It’s outrageous that they arbitrarily make the judgment that it’s not serious enough to warrant disclosing.
I first noticed a tingling (eventually burning) sensation at the tip of my tongue which gradually spread to the anterior one half of the tongue. This was followed by an inability to taste “sweetness”. At the time I had recently started to take Celebrex for arthritis pain and had also switched to Crest “Cinnamon Rush” Whitening Expressions toothpaste (Crest had stopped making my previous favorite toothpaste (Crest “Cool Mint Gel” Tarter Protection).
I was initially confused and thought this symptom might be related to other health problems. After discussions with my physician I stopped both the Celebrex and the new toothpaste. Unfortunately, it took over two months for the mouth/tongue irritation to subside.
This morning, thinking the problem might have been related to artificial cinnamon flavor, I challenged my mouth with Crest “Fresh Citrus Breeze” Whitening Expressions toothpaste and the tingling sensation returned to my tongue within an hour.
Thinking that the problem could be related to the toothpaste, I had elected early on in this debacle to brush my teeth instead with Crest Pro Health oral rinse and, like others on this post, developed the brown discoloration at the borders and gumline of my lower teeth.
I’m pleased to have found this site (via Google) and I’m amazed that these adverse reactions have been apparent for so long without any corrective action by Proctor & Gamble.
Hang in there….the glossitis and taste problems do go away, though it takes longer than you would like. Hopefully the stain will fade also.
I had been using the Crest Pro Health toothpaste for a few weeks brushing at least three times a day and I noticed a slight brown stain between my upper teeth, I couldn’t imagine where it came from because I don’t drink coffee or smoke and I brush and floss my teeth often! Then my sister came to me and showed me that her bottom teeth are becoming stained brown! Perplexed that both of our teeth are suddenly stained I searched google for “brown stain teeth between” and found this!! My sister has been using the Crest Pro Health mouthwash for the past two months!!! It is disgusting! Crest needs to reimburse everyone for the costs incurred trying to remove the stains!! This is absolutely ridiculous!
I have the same issue. I posted it on Digg. Lets Digg It, hopefully we got some resolution from Crest.
http://www.digg.com/health/Crest_Pro_Health_Mouth_Rinse_causes_brown_teeth_staining
I googled “Crest Pro Health” after I used it for the first time this morning, and then noticed a horrid taste in my mouth and subsequently everything I tasted tasted horrible and bland. After having my co-worker taste a Wheat Thin from the same box, I concluded it must be from this gross mouth rinse. Then I found this page– and the person who said they haven’t been able to taste anything for 4 days kind of freaks me out. I hope since I’ve only used it once that I will regain taste buds… What a horrible product for a dentist to recommend! This confirms my bad opinion of the new dentist I saw yesterday who gave this to me. Awful.
So glad I found this information-thought I was the only one experiencing problems with crest rinse. Along with brown staining esp between the teeth, it caused the inside lining of my cheeks to shed. Seriously, shortly after using thin layers of skin would come off. I mentioned it to a few people & they thought I was crazy. Good to know I’m not the only one having strange reactions to this stuff.
I am dealing with loss of taste as well and have only used Crest Pro Health Rinse for one week. I first noticed food tasting bland for several days. I woke this morning to find that my orange juice tasted like water and my buttered toast tasted like paper. This loss of taste is horrible enough that I have actually lost 5 pounds in one week because food tasted so bad that I had no appetite and now I can’t taste it at all. Hey, maybe Crest should market it as a diet aid, they might have more satisfied customers!
My 8 year old son (also using it for a week now) told me after school today that he had to go to the school nurse to get numbing medicine for the two sores on his gum line. Sure enough, I looked and he has broken skin around his gum line. Today was the first day he noticed it. Guess we can blame Crest for that one too.
Before I figured out the problem I called my dentist. They had no idea what would be causing my loss of taste. I called them back after finding this and they were quite anxious to research it more on the internet in order to give their patients warnings.
Wow, how is a product like this still on the market? Honestly, I am shocked.
oh, i’m so glad I found this page!!
i have been using pro health mouthwash for a long time now. I have been having stains, but I had no idea why I got them. I thought something was wrong with me.
a year ago when I went to the dentist, I hoped my dentist would see the stains and say something about it.
But, he didn’t. he just went on to the normal routine, so I thought maybe it is not a big deal.
but then, half a year later, I was so concerned that I asked my dentist
“I’ve been having weird stains, why would this happen?”
doctor”Do you drink coke?”
“i don’t drink coke at all”
“Do you drink coffee”
“no,i found out I get nausious when I drink coffee so I haven’t drunk coffee in more than a decade”
“tea?”
“very rarely”
so, what do you think he said after that?
“just floss”
I was so angry at that comment because it was so obvious that he did not want to deal with it. he did not even ask me if i floss, which I do daily!!!!
I am going to stop using this dumb mouthwash, and change my dentist to a person who actually cares about their patient!!
as you all have mostlikely done, I am going to report it too.
I have recently used crest pro health toothpaste and have some side effects. My mouth felt like it was onfire.
This stuff even turned everyone in my family tongue white. My daughter’s lips were peeling. Plus, the toothpaste was causing excess mucus in my chest. It even caused my salivary glands to get infected. Luckily, i was already on antibiotics for a bladder infection. Anyhoo, It’s been almost two weeks and almost back to normal. The green tea im drinking is slowly getting my tongue back to it’s natural color. This stuff is poison, there needs to be a class action suit or something. I went thru hell and discomfort for two weeks because of this crap and i only used it for a week. Im MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started using CPC not too long ago and noticed brown stains in between my lower teeth. Then I noticed stains appearing on the face of my lower teeth. i asked my family if they noticed them and they all agreed that they were there. My sister suggested askjeeves.com and found this site. I cant believe this, oh my God, Im calling my dentist in the morning and making an appointment. If a class suit does come up, dont forget me, cause I aint throwing away none of my bottle. I bought two bottles from Sam’s warehouse. Lucky me and I was just trying to take care of my teeth.
I’m so glad I found this site. I’ve been using Crest Pro Health toothpaste and am having the exact same brown staining that everyone describes. I have an appointment with the dentist in 2 days, I hope they can remove it! I can’t believe a product like this is on the market, I’ve used Crest for years and now will switch to a new brand for sure.
This is so disappointing! It’s the best thing ever on the market for preventing plaque, but the absolute worst when it comes to staining teeth. I have never in my entire life had such awful staining!
Someone heard your complaints about Crest Pro-Health mouthwash!
The Law Offices of Bell & Brigham is investigating claims for a possible class action lawsuit.
Email myrna@bellbrigham.com or call 1-866-722-2014
I knew instantly after using this mouth wash that my taste buds were not right. I started freaking out and knew it had to be the mouth wash so I came to google and here is the proof! Grr, I am so mad! We are having a huge family dinner and I can’t taste a darn thing. I really hope this goes away soon or I am going to freak out.
Thank you for starting this, it helped me to not feel alone!
I am outraged. Like many of you, I have never had mouth problems. My concern is the horrific bad taste. I will report this product to the FDA and perhaps I can get some assistance from the community to get this poison off the shelves.
Thanks for your feedback.
This makes me furious!!!! I have the UGLY brown staining between my upper and lower teeth. When I first noticed it, I thought I had some meat stuck between my teeth. Only to find out they were stained!! And I was using this crap for months, and started using it even more frequently to help get rid of the staining!! It only got worse, only to find out this crap was the problem!!! Now that I’ve stopped for a few months, the stains have lessened, but are still there.
Yikes, I had previously tried the Wintergreen and mint versions of this product, but was concerned how I would lose my taste sensitivity for about 1-3 hours thereafter. I did not want my meals spoiled so I stopped using the product. I just purchased the new clear Crest Pro Health Rinse for NIGHT, but after reading all these blogs, I am returning it now to the store! Thanks for all the good info here.
i started using crest prohealth rinse a few weeks ago because i was told it was better for you than listerine. but i now have swollen gums and some gum recession. i am disgusted that they have no warnings on this product. people just want whats best for themselves and their families and i think it is rediculous that crest is still selling this product knowing that it is possible for people to have these side effects. i did not get the brown staining on my teeth but gum recession is irreversable so i will have problems with my teeth and gums for the rest of my life thanks to crest!!! we should sue!!! if anyone hears anything about a class action suit please repost it on here so that everyone can be involved. thanks to everyone for the info! otherwise i would have never know what the cause was.
I have had my son and wife comment about my brown teeth. I decided to do a google search for information… I recently started using Crest Pro health… Is there a remedy?
I have been using Crest Prohealth for 5 weeks and have noticed significant brown tooth stains on the sides of my teeth in this short time. I don’t drink coffee or tea and couldn’t understand the staining. Additionally, it leaves a terrible lingering after taste — I will stop using this product immediately! THANKS to the comments received from other Crest Prohealth users on this website!
WOW - I was just about to call my dentist and decided to see if there was any info on the website regarding things that could cause brown stains. I do drink coffee but have never had a problem. I started using Crest mouthwash because my dentist advised it (no alchohol)… and now I am getting brown stains in the bottom row of my teeth. YUK!
I have used Crest Pro Health rinse for 4 days and my cheeks are in so much pain, it prompted me to see if anyone else was having trouble with this product. I am currently at work and am horrified at what I have exposed my teeth and gums to over the past 4 days! I will immediately stop using this product and hope that the damage does not last too long. It’s really a shame. Crest Extra Whitening toothpaste is my very favorite! Now I’m really doubting the integrity of the company.
Thanks for having this information available.
Update. The soft part behind my jaw is now swollen out beyond my jaw bone on the left side of my face. I will be going to the doctor first thing in the morning with this product and a print-out of this blog in my hand. This, after 4 days of using this product…
Update. The soft part behind my jaw is now swollen out beyond my jaw bone on the left side of my face. I believe I have an infected salivary gland.
I will be going to the doctor first thing in the morning with this product and a print-out of this blog in my hand. This, after 4 days of using this product…
I have noticed a brown spot on my gums, scared it could be cancer. Then I read all these statements. I have used the crest prohealth rinse on and off for the last month and the toothpaste. I am now out of both. I will of course get this spot checked out — but it sounds like I have my answer.
The Dental Hygenist who cleaned my teeth last Moday recommended Crest Pro Heath Rinse. After using three times my left cheek is grossly swollen and I’m unable to eat. Will stop using and hope it goes away before I’m due back at the Dentist. P&G has to know about this!
Oh my God. I feel so cheated. I have been using Crest Pro Heath Rinse for more than a year. Even after being a scientist I couldn’t connect that this might be responsible for brown staining of my teeth. I feel so mad. I will never ever buy any product from this company.
I’ve been using both the rinse and toothpaste for months. I work in a dental office and bought 2 cases of toothpaste because the crest rep. sang its praises. The toothpaste made the inside of my lips/cheeks peel. The insides of my cheeks feel numb at times and I’m putting this all together now. I don’t have any staining, but the peeling was so bad (usually peels twice per day). I stopped using the toothpaste and the peeling totally stopped. I still use the rinse, but will no longer now that I have read this. I think I’ll send an e-mail to my rep. Good luck everyone!
I called Crest yesterday to complain about ALL my teeth being very senitive and hurting and a sore on my inside right jaw. This morning I saw my dentist. We think it is the Stannous Fluoride, we have always used Soduim Fluoride.I could hardly finish dinner last night and have been taking tylenol to help. Bev
My hygenist FOR YEARS immediately remarked how unusually “stained” my teeth were during my visit today. My wife had remarked how “bad” my teeth looked. After discussing any changes with the hygenist, I told her I was using a new mouthwash after every brushing for the past six to eight weeks. She said another patient was using Crest Pro-Health and had significantly GREATER staining than ever before. I told her, I think that is the new rinse I was using…GUESS WHAT…IT IS/WAS! Back to Listerine.
i’ve been using crest pro-health toothpaste for a while and i’ve noticed brown staining on my back molars. at first i was trying to figure out what happened! i thought i had cracked my tooth or it was a cavity but after reading this site it all makes sense. i am throwing away my toothpaste tomorrow and getting some whitening aquafresh.
I was cleaning out my linen closet and came across the Crest Pro Health mouthwash, with seal, never opened. I have no idea how long I’ve had it. I’m guessing it was a freebie with some crest whitening strips since I used to use them. There was no expiration date on the bottle, and I came across this site while trying to find out how long the rinse is good. I am SO GLAD I saw this information before I used it. Gee, I wonder if it’s a campaign to get people to use more whitening strips?! Perhaps? I’m keeping it natural–Tom’s of Maine is the way to go! :o)
I’ve been using Pro Health toothpaste since the summer. I too had peeling gums and lots and lots of canker sores. I thought it was the Act mouthwash I was using. I stopped using it and today after I brushed my teeth, my lips swelled up. I look like Mick Jagger! My entire mouth feels like it’s on fire, and I’ve got a mess of canker sores. I googled crest pro health and found this site. I’m relieved to know that it’s not just me, but angry to know that this is still on the market. I complained to Crest and the FDA. Now I’m on my way to the store to buy new toothpaste, and I promise it won’t be a Crest product. That’s sad, too, because I’ve used Crest toothpaste since I was big enough to brush my own teeth!
I stopped using Crest Pro Health toothpaste about 2-3months ago. It took awhile before symptoms became painfully evident. First skin sloughing off in my oral cavity, which persistent for some weeks before brown horrible staining which this toothpaste was actually promoting. The last and final symptoms that it was the Crest Pro Health Toothpaste…Painful mouth, lips, tongue ulcers. Felt like chemical burns and thus reacted so. After reading of others comlaints I promptly discontinued its use and within a few weeks my symptoms slowly subsided and thank goodness am on the road to recovery. Wrote to Proctor and Gamble regarding this product and the horrible results that it produce. They sent me a refund for the unused toothpaste. And the ordasity to tell me to try some of their other products! I have not cashed the measly check in hopes that a class action lawsuit pursues, not for the money but for them to take this product off the market and stop those misleading commercials! I am so appaulled everytime I see them.
Amy! That is what I am using now Tom’s natural toothpaste! I am so pleased with it and I believed it aided in the healing of what the Crest Pro Health had produced. I have never had suchpainful mouth ulcers and I know it is from the chemical warfare products in Crest Pro Health Formula. How do we get this company to stop this chemical production?
I just thought I wasn’t brushing my teeth so well, although I seemed to do fine for the rest of my life. My daughter told her grandma “mom has black stuff between her teeth and I don’t like it.” I do, and I’ve been using Pro-Health for 6 months. Its awful and I’m switching to listerine even though it also tasts bad
My husband has probably been using the mouthwash for 3 months now and has terribly dark brown staining between his lower teeth and then some staining between his upper teeth too. Of course, it did nothing to my teeth, so it never occurred to us that it was the mouthwash–but of course we have a different mouth chemistry and react differently to things! We’ve been going crazy trying to figure it out–it’s really kind of disgusting-looking. He’s been brushing, flossing, picking and of course rinsing more–to try to fix it with no improvement. Poor thing! Finally with his mother’s initiative, we looked online this Thanksgiving Day and found this. Can’t believe it. No more Crest ever for any of us. We will be spreading the word!
I’ve used the product for three days. My gums were so red and swollen! My dentist recommended the product to me after I had my braces removed. I thought that my gums were inflamed and cracked due to my retainer. I’ve had it for 3 months and have never had this problem. I’m going to write Crest regarding this and inform my dentist. I haven’t noticed teeth staining…hopefully won’t happen since it’s been a few days.
Everyone is mentioning the blue mouthwash here, but no one has mentioned the Whitening mouthwash. I used the Whitening formula for 6 months and noticed my teeth getting smoker’s yellow. I thought my teeth were aging and my last dental visit didn’t clean the stains off. I hope this is not permanent because I’m too embarrassed to smile and hate talking to anyone now. I’m really unhappy. Bleaching and veneers are not an option and my dentist never seemed to notice my yellowing teeth; if he did, he didn’t care. Time to find another dentist who might possibly be able to get this yellow garbage off my teeth. If there’s indeed a class action lawsuit, I want in on it!
Crest pro health has also made me lose my ability to taste. I used it for About a week and I was freaking out why I couldnt taste anything. It took about 4-5 days after i quit using it for me to get my taste back. I still do not feel my taste is %100 back…
It looks like I have the answer to why my bottom teeth
have brown spots in between them. I have been using prohealth products for about 6 months and my dentist’s office highly recommended them. I am shocked that this could happen. I am going to contact my dentists office to see what can be done.
I posted a blog about this at the above link, complete with pictures.
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=23387243&blogID=332322586
I posted a blog about my problems with Crest Pro Health at the above link, complete with pictures.
Tis the season. . . I started using Crest Pro Health rinse just the other day. Yesterday, I was baking cookies and after tasting the dough I realized I must have left out the sugar. So I added a bit more and still could not taste anything sweet. I could feel the grit from the sugar which made no sense. I asked my husband to taste the dough and he said it tasted fine. So, I’ve completely lost the sensation of being able to taste anything sweet. Will my tainted tastebuds return to normal? Thanks to Crest for that as I might be able to drop 10 pounds during the holidays instead of adding them. I’ll taking this product to the hazardous waste management drop off location in my county.
I hated using mouthwash of any kind…but started using Crest Pro Health about a month ago to be a little better to my teeth…and now I’ve got nasty brown stains, primarily on the teeth in the lower jaw region. Thanks for ruining my teeth P&G.
My husband and I had our yearly dental appointments on Nov. 8, 2007 and had no staining before the appointments. The hygienist has us swish with Crest Pro Health before the actual cleanings and recommended it to prevent gingivitis, etc. I purchased a two-pack at Costco or Sam’s and we used it once or twice daily. I was less diligent than my husband. Last night my husband was horrified when he suddenly noticed heavy brown stains going across and between his bottom teeth.(also top teeth) He thought he had a terrible disease and called me to look. His teeth do not show normally when he speaks, smiles, etc. So this was probably there and developing for a while. Here it is only several weeks since I purchased the bad product.
I had noticed some slight brown stain between my lower teeth (the dentist tells me I have the whitest teeth he has ever seen). I didn’t know what the stain was from; I decided it might be a shadow and in my mind.
This is very scary! We must spread the word. I have e-mailed all my family members and now will e-mail all my friends. I plan to notify the dentist’s office today.
Thank you for this site.
Found this website while searching to see if sloughing off of mass amounts of skin inside my mouth is normal after using Crest Pro Health. I wish I would have stopped using it long ago. I too have brown stains between my teeth which are fairly recent. I had not connected it to the toothpaste but found them strange since I don’t smoke, drink coffee or even much soda. Off to the dentist I go.
I couple of weeks I was horrified when I looked in the mirror and saw my teeth so brown. I thought, I am getting old and my teeth are rotting. My teeth have never been the whitest, but it is to the point where it is embarrassing to talk. The brownish color is between my lower front teeth. Shame on you Crest! You should reimburse everyone out there who now has to go through expense and embarrassment of getting their teeth back to normal.
I started using a tube of Crest with cavity protection and the inside of my mouth including my tongue has peeled twice. Is their product made in China?
Much to my surprise, I noticed brown stains on my bottom teeth today. Needless to say, I too have been using both Crest Pro Health toothpaste and mouthwash…I guess I’ve been getting a double-dose of browning…YUCK! The folks at P&G should be ashamed of themselves for keeping this product on the market. Has anyone figured out an easy way to remove the stains without the assistance of a dentist?
I am also a victim of a product that I thought was great by a reputable company…all of a sudden I noticed brown on my bottom teeth at the gumline right in front…I am very faithfull with brushing and using the CREST PROHEALTH RINSE…I have been using the product for many many months and I am literally mortified that this has happened to my teeth…I for one will be contacting Crest and demanding payment for the removal of the brown spots and for pain and suffering….AND I will never use another Crest Product….I also have the layers of skin sloughing off, which I thought was ok to happen….HOW DARE THEY NOT INFORM US OF THE POSSIBLE OUTCOME OF USING THIS PRODUCT…I AM SURE CREST WOULD LOVE A BILLBOARD THAT STATES “CREST PRO HEALTH A HAZARD TO YOUR TEETH”…If they don’t take care of my problem, I will post a billboard….I am in Fairfield County, CT and would like to share the expense of the billboard with others…thanks and good luck to all of you with your cleaning ….
To the last two posters: MLN, the pro-health stains are especially nasty and hard to remove. You need to schedule an appointment with your dentist/RDH, and tell them you might need a little extra time. Most of the stains will probably come off with a professional cleaning. But I would not recommend that you try to scrape or scale it off yourself, as you might wind up damaging your teeth or gums.
Rose, I asked P&G to pay for my dental cleaning. They offered to do so, provided that I gave them my name and address and filled out a “questionnaire”. Of course, this questionnaire never came, despite my calling and asking where it was several times. They were just blowing me off. I read the bottle very carefully prior to use, and there is no way I would have used the product if there had been a warning regarding possible staining. And that’s why they refuse to put a warning on the bottle, despite the prevalence and severity of the staining problem. Shame on Crest.
I did a search to see if anyone else experiences a loss of taste after using Crest ProHealth. SUPRISE…I find this site, and have found the answer to the stains between my teeth and inflammed gums as well. I use the product only occasionally. Now I need to find a safe way to dispose of my mega-size bottle. If this product didn’t cause inflammed gums, staining, and who knows what else the taste-loss alone would make it a great weight-loss solution…nothing tastes good, so why bother to eat for then 10 days I can’t taste anything (I experience an 8 -10 day taste-loss, my husband’s is more like 2 days).
There is a recent discussion on hygienetown.com regarding the pro-health rinse. In general, you need to be an RDH or dental professional to access their message boards, but I’ll provide some quotes from the thread:
“I’ve been working for almost 30 years, so I’ve seen alot of stain. Most recently, I’ve had longtime patients come
in with terrible stain. After quizzing them about changes in medication and diet , the one common factor all
of them had was Crest Prohealth products, especially the blue mouthwash. There are 6 hygienists in our office,
so we started comparing notes and everyone of their patients with unexplained stain were using the Crest
prohealth products. After we had the patients change to some other mouthwash and toothpaste, the stain went
away.”
And from another RDH: “I have noticed an increasing amount of patients with brown/black stain on their teeth. These are patients who do not smoke, yet look like they have a three pack a day habit! After asking many questions, we were able to narrow it down to one common factor: Crest Pro Health Rinse. This is not your average brown stain. It is quite heavy in most cases, and extremely tenacious when it comes to polishing off. Usually it stains not only at the gumline, but in all the crevices and also stains composite restorations. Also stains the tongue brown/black in some patients.”
I used crest pro health mouth wash and within two days everything I ate tasted horrible and metallic. Then suddenly I experienced a huge burn on the roof of my mouth, followed what felt like an absessed tooth starting to break through. After typing in search engine “metallic taste in mouth” I was lead to lots of websites stating this crest product is the cause of the metallic taste, loss of taste so I dumped it down the drain. Then the burn and absess feeling went away within 48 hours. Food tastes good again. It needs to get off the market. I wonder how many people are using this, experiencing many problems and cant figure out the source!
bleeding gums and canker sores, which I never had before…Horrible, I thought I had a fungal infection.
The main ingredient in Pro Health is also in Peridex. I had used Peridex for a couple weeks and like others here I lost the sense of taste completely. It took months to get it back, a real nightmare.
I suggest a couple of products to try-Biotene Mouthwash which is advertised for dry mouth but can be used as a regular mouthwash-its mild and has good ingredients.
I also recommend a few natural brands-Perioguard from Natures Answer, The Natural Dentist Mouthwash, and Neem. There are others such as by Tom’s of Maine that are good as well.
Also, never use Colgate Total. Triclosan is a pesticide! Use a Health Food Store brand, or Biotene Toothpaste.
Thanks for this running account of Crest Pro Health issues. I see there are thousands of references on the net to this product.
As one who had just noticed his stains the other day in a chinese restaurant mirror (what had this food done to my teeth?), I especially liked the comments involving hygienists.
After cleaning my teeth a month ago my hygienist recommended Crest Pro Health and gave a small sample to take home.
pained and ached at the anterior part of my tongue, like burning. Very bad.
The active ingredient in the Crest Pro-Health Rinse, cetylpyridinium chloride (or “CPC”) is also used to m