During my previous visit to the dentist, the dental hygienist said that my teeth had a lot of plaque, so I decided to put a real effort into caring for my teeth. I brushed after every meal, flossed once or twice a day, and started rising with Crest Pro-Health mouthwash.
After a couple weeks, I noticed that my teeth were stained worse than ever – dark brown stains particularly near the gum line. When I smiled, my daughter said that it looked as though I had algae growing on my teeth.
I assumed it was from the harsh cleaning I had received at the dentist office. I thought maybe the hygienist had scrubbed off a protective layer and that the first few cups of coffee I had after that cleaning had somehow soaked into my porous teeth.
Today, I visited the dentist for my six-month checkup. She looked at my teeth and noted how stained they were. She said, “You’re not a smoker, are you?” I told her no, I’m not a smoker.
The hygienist did her cleaning. She needed a special high-powered water pick to blast the stain off. She couldn’t finish. She scheduled me for another appointment.
I explained how discouraged I was. Here I was trying my best to care for my teeth, and this was the worst staining I’ve had in my entire life. How could that be possible?
The hygienist asked if I brushed with Crest Pro-Health. I said no, I don’t brush with it but I do use Crest Pro-Health mouthwash at least once a day and sometimes twice. I asked her why? She explained that Crest Pro-Health toothpaste uses stannous fluoride, which can stain some people’s teeth. She said she didn’t think the mouthwash had stannous fluoride. (I checked the label when I got home – no stannous fluoride. Sure enough, the toothpaste tube does have a warning “products containing stannous fluoride may produce surface staining of the teeth.” No such warning appears on the mouthwash bottle.)
When I got home, I Googled “crest pro health mouthwash stains teeth.” The entire first page of results contained links to articles and blog posts from people who reported that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash stained their teeth a dark brown soon after they began using it.
This really irritates me. I was using a product I thought would make my teeth healthier and whiter and make my gums stronger. Instead, it made my smile look like I was a two-pack a day smoker.
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I did some additional research, and this is what I found on the Crest Pro-Health site at http://www.crest.com/prohealth/dab_askStains.jsp
The second to last sentence describes exactly the type of staining I experienced – along the gumline and in hard to brush areas rather than the entire tooth. I like the way they recommend, at the end, that you use their whitening toothpaste to remove the stains that their mouthwash caused. I doubt very much that the toothpaste would have much of an effect on the stains. My hygienist practically had to use a sandblaster to remove the stains.
Thanks. Your blog helped alot. I was recently given a sample of Crest Prohealth toothpaste from my dentist, who said that their new ingredient prevented the staining associated with Stannous Flouride. He did not give me the FDA warning, that must be issued with these products. I have teeth which are susceptible to staining and I am glad to find your information among others useful. I will not be using this product. Thanks for your personal experience!
your hygienist is an idiot. ps the special waterpik is an ultrasonic cleaner used with abosolute regularity in higher end dental offices that can afford better technology than 100 year old scrapers!
I am SO aggravated to find this out. I have been wondering why my teeth are staining and wondering if something is wrong with me. My dentist got most of the stains out last time I was there, but they started building back up again. Small wonder as I am using crest pro health mouthwash both in the morning and at night. The irony of this is that I was going to use crest whitening strips to try and get the stains out. Crest has definietly just lost my, and I am going to throw the product out as soon as I get home!
I am sooo glad to have stumbled upon this – I have been using Crest ProHealth for about a year now and only started noticing stains along my gumline and in between my teeth a few months ago. I always wondered why, now that I have really made a committment to keeping my teeth clean and healthy, they looked worse than ever before. My dentist never says anything about them, so I knew they weren’t decay. And I don’t use drugs or smoke. Thanks so much for helping me finally find an answer. I’m going to throw out my bottle right now!
This is infuriating. I, like pretty much anyone who would want to buy a bottle of mouthwash, decided that I wanted to IMPROVE my dental hygiene and appearance – and now it looks like I haven’t touched a toothbrush in 10 years. I literally have BLACK stains in-between all of my teeth from using two or three bottles of the mouthwash almost 6 months ago. I couldn’t figure out why my teeth had stained so much so fast (it happened within a month). I falsely assumed that drinking coffee had caught up with me.
Am I the only one who thinks this is an intentional side effect? Call me a cynic, but there’s no way they didn’t intend for this to happen to increase sales.
I’m not sure this is an intentional side effect, but it sure makes you wonder when you complain and they address the problem by recommending that you use their teeth whitening products.
Like Dave, I falsely assumed that driking coffee had caught up with me, too.
Whenever I tell the story in the presence of my dear wife, she has to chime in with… “Well, he drinks a lot of coffee, too.” Which is absurd. Makes me wonder whether she’s on Crest’s payroll. I drink as much or even more coffee now than when I had the teeth-staining problem, and my pearly whites are white now – no dark brown stains along the gum lines. The only difference is that now I no longer use Crest Pro-Health Rinse.
The staining you get with coffee and wine is quite different – it generally affects the entire tooth making them all look sort of off-white. The staining I experienced with Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse was very dark and very localized – dark brown, almost black stains near the gum lines and in any deep recesses of my molars. It is very distinct and impossible for consumers to remove on their own.
From what I’ve read in other people’s posts who’ve experienced this, the pattern of staining with Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse is identical to what I’ve had to deal with.
All mouthwashes that kill bacteria can stain by two mechanisms. The first is shifting the mix of bacteria to more pigmented species and the second is by killing bacteria that will then pick up stain.
In laymans language, the direct way they cause stains is that the bacteria die and their proteins (from the dead bacterial bodies) attract stains that bind to the protein layers of the enamel and root surfaces. These stains are often more tenacious than simple coffee, tea and cola stains due to their physical bulk and hard leathery consistency. That is why they accumulate in behind teeth and other hard to brush areas. The solution to prevent this type of stain if you want to use these types of mouthwash is to follow the FBI oral care method — namely, Floss (to remove bacterial plaque between the teeth), Brush (with particular attention to gentle vibrating motion at the gumline so you don’t cause gum recession or root sensitivity) and Rinsing with plain water vigorously spit out loose plaque which will restick to teeth quickly if you don’t rinse it out of the mouth. Then you can use your mouthrinse with less chance of stain.
Simon W Rosenberg, DMD
http://www.DrSimonRosenberg.com
http://www.InternetDentalEnterprises.com
Dr. Rosenberg, with all due respect, I followed the “FBI oral care method,” and Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse still stained my teeth horribly.
More over, if all mouthwash kills bacteria, and that’s what’s staining my teeth (and the teeth of others), why do I have the problem only with Crest Pro-Health and not other mouthwashes? I know, I know, it’s because Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse works sooooo much better, right? Well if that’s the case, then I’d rather use something that doesn’t work quite so well, so I’m not walking around looking like I have a three-pack a day cigarette habit.
When a mouth rinse is staining people’s teeth, telling them that they’re just not brushing and rinsing and flossing the right way is insulting. What if I manufactured soap that made people look filthy if they didn’t rinse off just right after taking a shower? How long do you think that would stay on the market?
By the way, are you on P&G’s payroll? You’re certainly delivering the same ridiculous pitch.
The mouthwash that is most effective is Peridex or the generic equivalent Chlorhexidene Gluconate. It produces the exact same pattern of stain as you describe. It is by prescription only and useful in the treatment of periodontal disease because it has the property referred to as “substantive” which means that it binds to tooth and gum calcium and then is slowly released for prolong bacterial kill.
If you study the research on the macrostructure of dental plaque you will find that the biofilm develops a structure that is similar to sponges or the tall buildings of a city. There are specialized bacterial colonies that form the foundation that attaches plaque to the tooth surface. The largest amount of bacteria are organized into tubes that draw in oral fluids down the central space of the tube and the waste produces are dumped into the spaces between the “floors if we use the building analogy” and extruded out into the oral environment laterial to these bacterial tubes.
While there is no formal nervous system to these bacterial tube-like colonies, they shut the incoming circulation of oral fluids into the colony as soon as any noxious mouthwash is swished in one’s mouth. The top few “floors” of superficial bacteria die, but the bulk of the plaque mass remains alive to resume functioning as soon as the irritating mouthwash concentrate falls off to a neglible concentration.
I do not work for any commercial drug company and spent 11 years on the staff of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where part of my research in the Oral Complications of Cancer and it’s therapy with chemo, radiation and surgery was looking at the toxicities of various mouthwashes and oral care regimen’s. I know nothing about the specifics of Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash, and my comments were only meant to provide a general review of the staining at the gumline and in the crevices between teeth that stain preferentially to flat surfaces of the teeth that are more accessible to regular toothbrushing. This differential staining that you describe has to be due to some different conditions in those areas. If the mouthwash works by oxygenation, then the chromophillic (pigment loving) bacteria that are sheilded from direct contact with air at the gumline and interproximal crevices my be the cause. If plaque is more completely removed from the flat accessible facial surfaces of the teeth and not removed at the gumline and interproximal areas, then cell death with affinity for absorbing stains is possible. If it is using Stanous (Tin) Fluoride then the tin atoms will stain by replacing the demineralized calcium containing hydroxy-appatite structure of the tooth with tin atoms that stain enamel grey and are next to impossible to remove without a highly abbrasive polishing paste of pumice or zirconia that wears away good enamel as well as the stained demineralized enamel. I believe the staining you see is caused by one or a combo of these effects.
I have never used the Crest product (generally I use Listerine), but I have noticed the problem you describe with a variety of mouthwashes. I have not found a mouthwash that does not generate this staining. I thought that it was something to do with my body chemistry and resigned myself to getting my teeth professionally cleaned more ofter. If you have a brand that works well for you, please let me know.
Gord
Gord-
I’ve used several different mouthwashes, and Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse is the only one that has stained my teeth. I currently use the grocery store brand of an alcohol-based mouthrinse (Kroger Antiseptic, Blue Mint) after every brushing. Before bed, I brush and then rinse with ACT.
Thanks Joe. I found favorable reviews of ACT elsewhere on the internet and perhaps that is the key to solving my stain problem. I’ll try it. Were you using ACT as a rinse after using the Crest product?
Gord
I was not using ACT at the time I was using Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse.
I started using Crest Pro-health mouthwash two weeks ago, and noticed today that I had severe staining of my lower teeth (at the gumline) and in between my upper teeth. This stuff is junk, why is there no warning on the bottle? I feel so deceived.
Joe,
I am SO happy to have found this information. I, like the others, have developed brown stains between my teeth. I have ALWAYS had very white teeth, and often received compliments on my smile. It has gotten to the point that I am ashamed to smile. The staining started about a year ago and I have been driving myself crazy trying to figure out what was happening. My dentist had suggested that I was not brusing properly, which was insulting, especially given that my teeth were perfect before this. I realize now that I switched to Crest Pro Health mouthwash about a year ago, and this MUST be the issue. I just scheduled another cleaning and will stop using this product immediately! If the staining stops, I will be both elated and furious! Crest should be held responsible for this.
I will keep you posted on how it goes.
Hey, Lisa–
Sorry to hear that Crest Pro-Health Mouth Rinse has claimed yet another victim, but I’m glad you took the time to post. You reminded me to remind everyone to please spread the word. Be sure to tell your dentist what happened, so he or she can let the hygeinists know. Also tell your friends and relatives.
I wouldn’t be so eager to see Crest suffer from this if they would just come clean, admit that the product causes very stubborn, ugly stains, and stick a warning label on the bottle!
Joe,
I went to the dentist and had my teeth cleaned. Not all of the stains came off, and now I’m noticing they are coming back. I stopped using Crest Pro-Health the day I posted my message on December 11th. Did your staining stop immediately after using the product or does it have some sort of residual effect?
Thanks,
Lisa
Hi, Lisa–
My staining stopped as soon as I stopped using Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash. What products are you using now – toothpaste and mouthwash?
I’m using Colgate “Sparkling White Mint Zing” toothpaste and Listerine.
Hi every one,
Same Here…. I started using Crest Pro-Health a few months ago… At first it was great, since I wanted to use it to fight bad breath, wich it did work well. Then I noticed these black-brown spots between the teeth. I was thinking that maybe I was going insane, since I am the kind of guy of take care of him… and it seems these spot came really fast. I knew it could be this product…. Now I am sure of it since I’m not the only one complaining about this…. Thanks!
Ok, I just went to the dentist about a month ago. Left happy to have those stains between my teeth gone. A month later they’re coming back!! I’m going back this Friday for an unrelated problem but need to bring this up to my dentist. I kept thinking I do coffee through I straw brush, rinse, floss. Why are they coming back so soon? I’m switching to ACT today. The Crest Pro Health rinse must be it because the front of my teeth look great and I use Colgate tooth paste. Thank god I googled stains between teeth this morning!
I recently started using Crest Pro-Health mouth rinse– no more than a month ago at the most, and today I woke up with dark brown stains at my gum line, certain crevices, and between my teeth. I have been using it about three times a day or more, trying to commit to improving my oral hygiene. I was so panicked, I ran to my computer and ran a search on “brown stains between teeth.” I was immediately bombarded with sites such as yours telling me that my mouthwash is causing these awful stains. Are there any products that will remove these stains? What toothpastes and mouthwashes have you found to be safe to use? I never would have suspected this mouthwash, and I have also been using Crest toothpaste! My teeth have never looked this awful, and I feel so betrayed to find out that it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t started using Crest– not to mention using massive amounts of it several times a day!
Hey, jjm–
I’d take a photo first, just in case you decide to file a law suit later. If you wouldn’t mind sending me the photo, I’d love to post it.
Then, I’d head to your dentist’s office for a cleaning. These are not your average, everyday stains. I doubt you’ll have any luck removing them on your own.
OMG….I googled dark stain and gumline and came across this…
I am so happy that I found you and just read these testimony’s…
I started using this mouthwahs about 8 months ago and about 6 months ago started getting the worse stains at the gumline.
I have the best teeth. I have never had a cavity in my life or stains. The hygenist asked me what had changed in my life. I told her nothing(because I forgot that I had started using this mouthwash prior to my cleaning)…
Now, I believe I know and am going to stop using this mouthwash immeadiatley.. Crest Prohealth mouthwash sucks.
How horrible, they should have to have a disclaimer warning label on the bottle(A BIG ONE)
Thank you for sharing this information with me.
Belle
Thanks for all the info. Approx 2 months ago, my teen son starting showing me blackish stains in between his teeth and along the gumline. The hygenist said it was lazy care, except that he flosses, brushes x2 daily (with Crest Cavity protection) and began using the Walmart brand Equate Tartar protection mouthwash. She didn’t question what products he was using. The hygenist suggested using toothpaste dipped in baking soda for brushing. It’s helped some, but now that I’ve read your posts, I’m getting rid of the Crest and the generic mouthwash and go back to Colgate. Will see if that helps.
Thank you all! Penny
This is all very interesting BUT I have just discovered black stains between my front teeth and along the gum line and I am using Oral-B anti bacterial rinse. The active ingredient is Cetyl pyridinium Chloride which is the same as in the Crest product. I am not sure if all the inactive ingredients are the same.
Like everyone else, I added this product to an already intensive tooth cleaning regimen. It is very distressing, not to mention expensive in having to go back for more professional teeth cleaning.
The same thing happened to me..I have dark stains on the bottom teeth along the gum line..I called Proctor and Gamble and they were apologetic which does not make a difference cause now I have stains in my teeth. So they sent me a check for 8.00 and some coupons for free whitening toothpaste and whitening mouthwash..I just started to use this stuff today..hopefully it will fade off. They did say if it does not come off with the whitening products to have my dentist clean my teeth and they would reimburse me. I have told many that I know to not use the Pro-Health products they are no good.
thanks for the tips folks. after 2 cleanings and me and my dentist trying to figure out what the heck was staining my teeth since the last 2 to 3 cleanings – especially since nothing else had changed – all i had to see was the picure on the top of the article to piece it all together (the blue prohealth mouthwash!) needless to say i threw it out and will look back to listerine (my dentist had me switch because of the alcohol burn but i think i can live with that now)
I have a very similar story. Out of the blue, my teeth began to stain along the gum line. After two cleanings at the dentist, I finally began to piece together what was happening. I had started using Crest ProHealth about the time my teeth began to stain. I emailed the Crest Team and to my disappointment they seemed rather defensive about the whole matter. As someone who grew up with Crest products and used them for more than 40 years, it was extremely disappointing to find that a brand I trusted, would do this to my teeth. I dropped the Crest ProHealth for Listerine after my last cleaning and the stains have NOT returned.
wow . . me too guys. Thanks.!* Now I know why.
I too have had brown staining with Crest Pro Health rinse. I previously used Listerene with no problems. I heard that a non-alchoholic product might be better so I tried the Crest product. That was a big mistake. I’m going back to Listerene.
It’s funny how simular we all are because I thought that I was drinking something to stain my teeth jet black. Who would ever suspect that the mouthwash I’ve been using for 6 months was the cause. My dental hygenist had no clue. Needless to say I will never buy another crest product, ever. I think the way to go about this is to call WalMart where I bought the product and complain, because if there is one entity in this country that can influence P&G it’s Wally-world. Everyone knows the FDA is on the take.
I too have this staining mostly between my bottom teeth. I started using Crest Pro Health nighttime and daytime after my wisdom teeth removal because it is so effective on getting and preventing my canker sores. However, I’m relived to find this post because I was beginning to think the nerve damage I had from my wisdom teeth surgery had started killing my teeth! Now I can pass this on to my orthodontist when I go in for my check up, it definitely has to be the mouth wash because I was using it at least 3 times a day! The stains came on fast and before I had really white teeth.
Similar staining is happening to me. I use an Oral-b antibacterial mouthwash, never thought that it could be the culprit until now. I’ve been getting stains in between my teeth and on the very top of some of them. I’ve never had a problem with stains before.
Just noticed Oral-B was bought by Proctor & Gamble in 2006, same guys who own Crest. No wonder Oral-B stains as well, probably the same recipe.
unbelievable! Crest (Proctor & Gamble) has known about this problem for more than 2 years, and are still marketing Pro-Health mouth rinse! I switched to it in March, 2009, because it had no alcohol. In 10 days, my teeth looked hideous! Brown stains everywhere! Luckily, after 10 days of use, I had a regular dental appointment, and my dental tech knew immediately what had happened. The company claims it has this effect on less than 1/10 of 1% of the users. I do not believe that statement, and I am still angry that they tried to blame the brown stains on smoking (which I do not) or poor dental care.
I have been using Listerine for over 7 months. I floss regularly and use a special non-abrasive tooth whitening paste. Imagine my horror when I discovered this morning the exact kind of dark brown stains described by many of you here.
I am writing to Listerine about this. I am also going to submit a bottle for lab analysis and to get the exact chemical composition. And I guess its time to see my dentist with a printout of this page of comments.
As for that Doctor who wrote a continuous stream of complex words and poorly constructed sentences. I don’t know what to say to you; if your intentions were to help, I wouldn’t want to be your patient.
I started using the Crest Pro-Health right after my teeth were cleaned by the dentist after an exam a month ago tomorrow. Over the past few days, I noticed terrible stains. I went back to the dentist today because I thought that the enamel was being eroded from my teeth, and the dentist and her assistant both said, “No, it’s from the mouth rinse” I was using. She suggested switching to Listerine. She said my enamel was fine — the stains are just too stubborn for normal brushing and flossing to get rid of them. So it cost me another dental cleaning, but I was relieved my teeth were “ok”, and I’m going to buy Listerine tomorrow, AND I’ll complain to the parent company.
I recently noticed black between my bottom front teeth. I had my teeth cleaned today. Before I even mentioned it to the hygienist, she asked me if I used Crest pro=health tooth paste. I said yes. She said that she was seeing this with a lot of patients. I also told her that I was using the mouthwash. She recommended not using either. I was fortunate. The cleaning removed the stains.
Joe,
Thank you so much for all the valuable information. I too am a victim of Crest Pro-rinse Health (I used the Night version). I actually went on-line tonight to find out why I had such staining in between my teeth…never even had a thought it could be my rinse. I used to use ACT – never had a problem – but switche to Crest about 6 months ago because of a coupon. Oh, I am so upset. My staining is very dark between my teeth. Other than stopping the rinse, any proven way to get rid of the stains? I can’t believe this stuff is on the market. I am sure most people, like me, do not realize the product is causing the problem and are out buying Crest strips to whiten their teeth. Very dirty business, indeed. I plan on boycotting all Crest products and filing complaints with anyone who will listen! Thanks again for your help in getting this issue out there? Any chance that the Today show (or some other network) will air this issue again? We need to stop this!
OMG , me too I am sooooo mad about CREST PRO HEALTH
I have excellent oral hygiene & go 2/x year.
my Mom bought CREST PRO HEALTH Enamel paste, So I tried it, then after 1 month,I noticed these horrid brown stains in between my teeth..I was puzzeled,I have NEVER drank or smoked.
I went the dentist & they said I had lots of stains & had to use a special device & not all are gone…
Then I came upon this info… I am 100% positive that was the cause,I threw it away…never again…CREST PROHEALTH
I too, like many others have become a victim of the Crest Pro Health Mouthwash. I had beautiful white teeth and pink gums. My dentist always gives me compliments of how beautiful my teeth look. I recently noticed brown spots on one side of my mouth and brown gums.It is so disguisting! UGH!!! I am going to the dentist tomorrow in hopes he can help get my pretty teeth and gums back.
It is ridiculous that Proctor & Gamble is still selling this product after so many complaints. I really want to give them a piece of my mind.
Has anyone had success with removing the brown spots??? I’m tryin to think positive!!
I work at a CBS station in Sacramento and am doing a story on this staining problem – but I’m looking for visuals of staining. Does anyone have any pictures or video? If so please contact me at phupe@kovr.com. I’m on deadline so the sooner the better! Thanks…
This is very good information. Thank you. I am so irritated about Crest right now. I have the same staining problem and I just found out a few days ago. I started using it since a few months ago… It looks like everyone went to see a dentist to take the stains out. Do these stains just go away or do I need to go see a dentist about this?
Hi, Caroline–
Unfortunately, you probably need to see a dentist. Required two cleanings for me. I would recommend taking photos first. Also, write to Crest. They may at least be willing to pay for the cleanings.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I could have written the storey at the top of the page word for word!
2 weeks after my last trip to the dentist (where the hygenist recommended Crest Pro Health mouthwash and toothpaste), I started to see dark brown staining on my gum-line and between my teeth.
I pride myself on my oral health routine (religious flosser, brush well twice daily…).
I have been sooooo stressed about this staining! I too, thought that the hygenist over-scraped and exposed a surface of my tooth that now absorbs stains.
I will be heading back to my dentist and I pray that they can remove the staining.
I will be throwing out my bottle of crest pro health ASAP!
Thank you! I’m so glad I’m not the only one!
The minute I used the Crest White Zing toothpaste, my teeth hurt at the gum line. I decided to continue the use of the toothpaste for the next month even with the sensitivity.
Within 30 days, I found four teeth that had brown spots at the GUM LINE and they are very sensitive as if they are the start of cavities.
I am switching by to my old toothpaste in hopes it can correct the problem. I’ve never had a cavity near my gum line (must less four), and these spots are very brown and seems to be decreasing the gum line where the spots are located.
Any class action suit, sign me up!
*Sigh, so I finally got fed up with these stains I’ve developed as a non-smoker and non-coffee/tea/soda drinker after making an effort to take better care of my teeth a year ago (flossing, brushing, and rinsing 2-3X a day). To my surprise, I find I am also a victim of this Crest product. I’ve developed the stains between and near the gum line like everyone else. The last time I went to the dentist, she had to basically use some type of sand paper to get in between my teeth and still couldn’t remove the stains. Gosh, I’m so upset right now. This is unbelievable.
look up Chlorhexidine you will see it stains teeth.
“use of products containing chlorhexidine for long periods can cause stains on teeth, especially on silicate and resin restorations; prolonged use can also alter taste sensation”
a zinc base mouth wash is best for every day use. and alcohol base is ok every once in a while. there is a new study be an Australian doc saying it drys out the mouth inviting Carcinogens in to the mouth tissues.
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