serc's Full Review: Chattem Act Total Care Fresh Mint Rinse 18 fl oz
Because of my fear of further dental caries, I've added a fluoride rinse to my regular routine of brushing and flossing my teeth. I've used ACT Fluoride rinses on and off since I was a kid, but it seems that they have recently diversified their product offerings. The latest is ACT Total Care Anticavity Fluoride Rinse, which I purchased in the Fresh Mint flavor. I like it okay, but I think it has some disadvantages compared to the other ACT products I've tried.
Description
This product comes in a large, clear plastic bottle through which you can see the color of the mouthwash (in this case, green). The front label for the "Fresh Mint" flavor is silver and green, with information printed primarily in white and blue. The label on the back is white with information printed in black; it's a lot less flashy, but it's a lot easier to read, too. The cap is a large and made of white plastic. It does have a child-protection element to it; you must squeeze the sides while you twist it to remove it. The inside of the cap is marked with a line that shows you where to pour out one dose of the rinse. The cap is so large that the line seems very low; this makes pouring the correct amount difficult. I often pour too much out. Because this is my own bottle of mouthwash that no one else uses, I simply pour the extra back, but if people were sharing this bottle, I think it would be easy to wind up wasting a lot of product in an effort to not cross-contaminate with each other's germs.
The rinse itself is a clear green liquid with a viscosity similar to that of water. It does have a fresh, minty taste - the mint is much more spearmint than peppermint. It's not as strong at the alcohol-containing ACT Restoring Anticavity Mouthwash that I tried this summer, possibly because this product does not contain alcohol. It is still quite refreshing, however, if you like spearmint.
The back label of this product includes this Warning: Keep out of reach of children. If more than used for rinsing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
The front label includes the following claims: -strengthens teeth -rebuilds enamel -helps prevent cavities -promotes healthy gums -kills germs -freshens breath
Use and Experience
The directions for use read as follows: Adults and children 6 years of age and older: -use twice a day after brushing your teeth with a toothpaste -remove cap -pour 10 milliliters (10 mL mark on inside of cap); do not fill above 10 mL mark -vigorously swish 10 milliliters of rinse between your teeth for 1 minute and then spit out -do not swallow the rinse -do not eat or drink for 30 minutes after rinsing -instruct children under 12 years of age in good rinsing habits (to minimize swallowing) -supervise children as necessary until capable of using without supervision Children under 6 years of age: consult a dentist or doctor
My kids have never used a fluoride rinse; I feel good if they actually manage to get their teeth brushed! They don't seem to get cavities in the way that I do, either, so I just keep my bottle of ACT rinse high out of their reach. For my own use, I follow the directions pretty carefully. I brush and floss my teeth, then rinse with 10 milliliters of this for one minute. As I indicated earlier in this review, getting the 10 milliliters measured can be a challenge with this product; I like the simplicity of the pouring method, but the cap is just way too big. I do try to limit my rinsing to 60 seconds, but I admit that sometimes I go over if I don't have a watch or clock right in front of me.
My biggest problem with this product is that it is meant to be used twice a day rather than once per day, unlike the other ACT products I've used. Using it before bed is easy; it's the last thing I do before I climb into bed, so I don't need to remember to not eat or drink for half an hour. It's adding a second time per day that I find challenging; I'm in school and my schedule is different every day, so it's difficult to create a routine time during the day to use the rinse. On the other hand, some people might like to use a rinse like this twice per day; it does freshen breath, and a person with an organized, set daily schedule could easily make this part of their routine. It's just not my personal preference.
The results I've had with this have been good, at least in the sense that I know that it is killing germs and freshening my breath. I like the minty taste; it isn't too strong, as some mouthwashes are. It does contain 0.02% sodium fluoride, which serves to help prevent cavities. I can't prove that it is helping, but with the way my teeth tend to get cavities, it can't hurt. I spoke with my dental hygienist about using these rinses and she confirmed that they can help to prevent cavities, but they need to be used consistently in order to do so. For me, that will probably mean moving back to a fluoride rinse that I only need to worry about once per day. Cost and Where To Buy
I purchased this product at our local Target store and I think I paid around $6.00 for the 33.8 ounce bottle. I had a $1.00 off coupon as well; it really does pay to spend a few minutes looking through newspaper coupon supplements! This can be purchased online at www.drugstore.com; they currently have an 18 ounce bottle available for $5.99. You can also look for ACT products at brick and mortar drugstores.
I like ACT Total Care Anticavity Fluoride Rinse, but I prefer a fluoride rinse that I only need to use once per day. I'll be going back to the original ACT Fluoride after I use up the rest of my bottle of the Total Care. 4 stars.
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