Been using Smartmouth for 3 months... Will now stop.

[mike987]

Okay, so maybe you saw in the 'where are the old members thread', but I'll sum my experiences up real quick here.

I came to Japan 3 months ago.. At the time, I wasn't so down on myself about BB, but I also wasn't in contact with very many people, and didn't have to talk to anyone more than 15-30min at a time, up close.

Anyway, I couldn't bear the thought of getting to Japan, and my new job, and having a BB nightmare that would ruin my life.. I remember I gave smart mouth a shot a few years back, but thought I'd give it another chance out of desperation, so I brought a few packs with me.


Smartmouth takes away morning breath.. or at least the sensation of it.. From my perspective, taking smartmouth, I can't smell anything on my own breath and my mouth feels and tastes clean all day long.

... And yet, I get reactions, ... Obvious ones... It's tearing my heart out.


I suspect Smartmouth might be doing this to others, but I couldn't seem to find any real negative opinions other than 'I don't like the taste, etc'....

... except this one.. check it out:

*ZINC IS KNOWN FOR KILLING TASTEBUDS! AVOID IF YOU LIKE TASTING FOOD!*, September 1, 2010
By BornAtheist (Oregon) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: SmartMouth Alcohol-Free Mouthwash, Fresh Mint, 16-Ounce Box (Pack of 2) (Health and Beauty)
Trust me, you do not want to buy this if yoou enjoy the taste of food. I happen to know something about this, since I was one of the ones who used zinc lozenges when they first came out many years ago. The first thing I noticed was zinc makes your taste buds not work for many hours. When I purchased this Smart Mouth I didn't look to see the ingredients. I tried it out and on the 2nd use, I noticed my expensive Great Harvest Bread Co. muffin had virtually no flavor! A mud pie would have tasted nearly the same. And, mud pies are free! Now I realize why they say this product lasts 12 hours. That's about how long zinc kills the tastbuds. I guess if you can't taste anything, you don't have bad breath, right? But, not only that, this stuff makes my mouth taste sour, like morning breath after a night of drinking Old English 800 beer and smoking Tarrington cigarettes.

Is there any truth to zinc killing tastebuds? Could the 'fresh breath' just be an illusion.. because it affects our own taste?


Also, I noticed the following 5 star review is posted multiple times under the name 'SHOPPER' on more than one smart mouth listing....

After a year's use: BEST mouthwash on the market!, August 22, 2009
By Shopper (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SmartMouth Alcohol-Free Mouthwash, Fresh Mint, 16-Ounce Box (Pack of 2) (Health and Beauty)
I used to use Listerine, Scope, Plax, etc. Nothing offered results that would last for more then an hour. About a year ago, while looking for a better solution, I came across SmartMouth. Yes, it is more costly then the others, but SO well worth it. I double it with the SmartMouth toothpaste for an even better result.

PROS:
- no burning of the gums; unlike mouth washes that contain alcohol, there is no painful burning;
- unlike mouth washes that contain saccharine and alcohol (and therefore produce sugar laden environment in your mouth, which leads to growth of bacteria, which leads to more bad breath), SmartMouth produces no sugary aftertaste and no secondary bad breath;
- unlike other mouth washes, SmartMouth doest's just cover bad breath with minty flavour; it NEUTRALIZES bad breath;
- despite the two bottles, the pumps allow for clean and fast dispensation and help you avoid pouring too much/too little into the cup (and wasting product);

CONS:
- small size; I wish they produced a 32 oz size...
- price; however, even though it is probably twice the average mouth wash competition price, it is well worth it, because it actually WORKS!

THINGS TO REMEMBER:
- you must use it TWICE a day for a 24 hour protection; some boxes actually say 12 hours, instead of 24 hours - I guess they may have been having an issue with the 24 hour claim;
- the suggested amount to use is four squirts from each bottle; I find three squirts MORE then enough; that makes the two bottles last about three weeks (or six weeks for a double pack);
- I found that adding the SmartMouth toothpaste made the process even more efficient;
- they make now a cinnamon flavour; I just tried it last week; no, it is NOT sugary; the cinnamon is delicate and does not burn; I recommend it as a change to the mint...

That's bullshit. Would an effective product need fake reviews like that? Surely this is from the inside! This seriously is listed 3 out of 8 times on one listing, and several more times in another.




Anyway, I quit Smartmouth 2 days ago. I bought some weird non alcohol stuff called 'Denta-System Haguki Plus' ... but I wonder if this is actually a mouthwash.. It tastes like no mouthwash I've ever known and there was a little illustration of a person rinsing, THEN brushing... I think it may be some kind of tooth polish or something to make brushing more effective... I don't know. (You see, my Japanese isn't great, so I can't really read most of the bottle).

However, my mouth feels quite clean after using it, though the super clean feeling doesn't last more than a couple hours at most.


Yesterday, I didn't get any reactions that I can definitely use as evidence... but I felt like there may have been some... Also, I kept getting whiffs of that 'sore tooth' kind of breath that comes with gum infections or whatnot.. This is unusual for me, but I had also been sick the past week, so that may be the reason.

I felt much better today (concerning the cold I had), and while I didn't speak to more than 2 people all day long, neither of them gave clear reactions, and I didn't get any whiffs of my own breath.


The last two days NOT using smartmouth, I have been able to taste something in my saliva.. As if my spit is a little salty or something. And also, the wrist lick test reveals that familiar vinegary (don't know how else to describe it) scent.... Even if I have this somewhat salty or sour skank taste in my mouth without smartmouth, do you think it means for sure that my breath is worse? I'm hoping that even if I can taste my saliva, and there's a scent to the wrist lick, that there are also good bacteria coming back.


Tomorrow I have a long day of classes.. On this day, with smartmouth, I get reactions.. The team teacher I'm with on this day ALWAYS holds her finger in front of, or around her nose just when I speak to her... So Smarthmouth didn't seem to do crap. Well, I'll try again without it... And with whatever the heck stuff I bought recently.

Wish me luck.. Basically, even though I'm using some new stuff, it doesn't last long.. so it's like I'm taking a step back on the mouth chemicals. The question here is 'Will my breath improve with fewer chemicals, or will it be worse'?


I'll let you guys know how it goes.


Off topic, but I really want to get sinus surgery.. Aside from it being a possible cure, maybe I'll be able to breathe clearly for the first time since I was ... well, I don't know if I could ever breathe clearly.

[Paul B]

Hey man I feel for ya. What you describe with your job is exactly what I go through everyday and I'm sure many others here.
I've pretty much had the same experience with smartmouth. It sort of gives the feeling of better breath especially in the morning but really your breath still stinks.
When I do the lick test my saliva also smells "vinegary" or sour smelling.
I think I'm gonna try some blis k12 for the hell of it.

[jc]

You may want to check out biotene toothpaste for dry mouth.
It has enzymes that break down biofilms & strengthen saliva`s natural defense on bacterias.
I`ve been using it for 2 months & it`s the only one that lessened & sometimes remove the hairy white coating at the middle of my tongue. I really don`t expect it to cure my bb cuz I`m sure it`s coming from my small intestines but it might work for oral related halitosis.I`m fed up with my old toothpastes that contain triclosan & peroxide. `Hope this helps.

[bbsmells]

hey everyone. i am trying therabreath toothpaste and therabreath perio mouthwash. the taste is really bad, but it seems to make the flavor and good smell of my chewing gum last longer. today i have classes all day so i'm going to see if this works! i only had mild bad breath this morning, not nearly as bad as usual. oh, and i am also using mouth spay called biotene moisturizing mouth spray. it really helps to keep my mouth from being dry. wish me luck you guys! hopefully this will work.

[mike987]

You may want to check out biotene toothpaste for dry mouth.
It has enzymes that break down biofilms & strengthen saliva`s natural defense on bacterias.
I`ve been using it for 2 months & it`s the only one that lessened & sometimes remove the hairy white coating at the middle of my tongue. I really don`t expect it to cure my bb cuz I`m sure it`s coming from my small intestines but it might work for oral related halitosis.I`m fed up with my old toothpastes that contain triclosan & peroxide. `Hope this helps.

I actually have tried Biotene, and have a tube now in my bathroom above the sink.


I don't often use it though.. the thing is, it seems so weak. I wonder if it's just a weak version of most other toothpastes. Sometimes I suspect it's not doing a very good job of cleaning my mouth.. sure, it might not be as rough on my tongue and salivary glands, but I wonder if it's effective as a toothpaste.

I guess I could try using it regularly again.. I forget why I stopped using it last time, but I did buy it again. Right now, I've been using it for regular brushing, then using a different toothpaste with a spinbrush I recently bought.



Alright, so today seemed like a mix bag. No smart mouth, just the new stuff, which is classified as a Dental Rinse.

I should mention that I popped an allergy pill, which gave me outrageous dry mouth, but helped lessen the mucus production a bit.

In one class, one student said something about me to another student, as if a secret, but I couldn't tell what he said, so I don't know if it was what I dread or not.
I know it was about me because it's the young class, and he was saying something about 'sensei'.

The students who I saw have reactions before didn't do anything such as cover their noses this time... Though in the last class there might have been a bit of it. Also, the team teacher didn't show reactions that say for certain 'you have bad breath right now'.

My mouth was dry as hell though, and my throat started hurting.. I also have a sore in my mouth now.. I wonder if it's because I changed toothpastes and mouthwashes recently, or if it's because my mouth was dry all day long.

I didn't catch any whiffs of the fart breath, but this every other Monday class has a large classroom, and I was never in a spot where I had to speak directly in their faces..I tried to avoid that.


I guess I feel good about today.. I think the allergy med might have been the strongest aid, weakening the PND big time.. I took it because I was actually really stuffy last night (I'm allergic to these tatami mats) and didn't want BB double time.

Maybe it's because my nose is mostly stuffed up all the time, but I don't think my BB comes through my nose. I just don't notice reactions until I start talking.... however, I don't think something in my mouth is responsible, because I'll get it amazingly clean and fresh and have reactions the first time I speak to someone when I arrive at work.

In my mind, I see PND as the culprit. It comes down, sticks there, right above my Uvula, where it can't be removed without lots of obnoxious hacking (even then I sometimes can't get it all off) and as the air passes it, it makes the breath nasty. Doesn't seem to matter how well I clean my mouth. Also, the bacteria on the mucus are probably constantly falling onto the back of my tongue and throat, so that whole area is contaminated right away, no matter what I do.. It only takes a few seconds for new mucus to come and fall into position.

This is my current theory anyway.


bbsmells, good luck with your classes.
People here have tried Therabreath.. I know it hasn't worked for most of them. Let us know how it goes.

Also, I wasn't aware biotene made a mouthspray... That's something I might be interested in.

[herbalsupp]

have you tried Dentiva?? This product has changed my life. It is a long lasting lozegene that can work for over an hour. I cant find it in stores and so i order it on line at oralganic.com. NO i am not working for them ... and this is my testimonial ... This stuff is unlike anything I have tried before. You dont need to chew it you just keep it in your mouth and it works. You can see their web page for a bunch of clinical studies that have been done.

[bbsux]

Hey man I feel for ya. What you describe with your job is exactly what I go through everyday and I'm sure many others here.
I've pretty much had the same experience with smartmouth. It sort of gives the feeling of better breath especially in the morning but really your breath still stinks.
When I do the lick test my saliva also smells "vinegary" or sour smelling.
I think I'm gonna try some blis k12 for the hell of it.

Dont bother man, i just tried it for 3 weeks and it doesnt work.. I have the same problem you do.. if you read my thread i paid $154 for thera breath and their k12 probiotics... Like the OP said it will make your mouth feel fresh but bb will still be there. Also when i do the lick test it smells like vinegar/ammonia ...

I am a college student so i also know what you guys are talking about.

[mike987]

Alright, just to update you guys, my breath still stinks, but if anything, I may be getting less reactions when I DON'T use Smart Mouth. (Though I have added a second motorized spinbrush into my daily routine)

Yeah, feels fresh, makes me confident, but since I stopped, reactions SEEM to have been cut down by a third or so... But I'm also doing my damned best to avoid up close situations, as well as speaking in the direction of anyone's face, if I can... though again, I'm a freaking teacher and the classrooms are claustrophobia inducing, so that's extremely hard.

The Dentiva guy has pimped Dentiva in every single one of his 4 or so posts, so don't take him seriously. Try the product for yourself if you must, but it's obvious what he's doing here. BTW, that corporate asshat on Dentiva's website is a royal jerk. "We have studies and reviews that aren't fake... we swear!"

Anyway, we need a product that doesn't say 'it will cue your BB!'... It needs to be specific, tell us exactly what kind of BB and the related symptoms that the product may help.



Say, has anyone done the wrist lick test then asked someone else to smell [your] saliva? I'm curious. Wrist lick reveals the vinegary smell almost all the time,even I'd say minutes after brushing.

Oh yeah, several years ago I asked my brother to lick his wrist, and I couldn't smell anything from this wrist test.

[jc]

Say, has anyone done the wrist lick test then asked someone else to smell [your] saliva? I'm curious. Wrist lick reveals the vinegary smell almost all the time,even I'd say minutes after brushing.

Oh yeah, several years ago I asked my brother to lick his wrist, and I couldn't smell anything from this wrist test.

When I had a meet-up with a fellow member here, we did the wrist lick test. I can smell a faint smell of foot/ sour probably even vinegar on my wrist but he can`t smell anything. I smelled his wrist but did not detect anything.

[OneDay111]

I find it quite ironic that some people on this board are constantly told they do not have BB, yet think they do.

[Phantasist]

I don't find it ironic at all. Doctors will always tell you that you don't have bad breath, because as dumb as they are, they're smart enough to know that they don't know what to do about it, so rather than waste their time, they just want you out of their office. Makes perfect sense.
As for other people, they just don't want to offend you.