Matt must know…I read your post about the long lasting Listerine mouthwash. Is SmartMouth the same thing? If so can it really last for 12 hours?
The Beauty Brains responds:
Matt’s referring to our post on Listerine UltraClean mouthwash which contains a zinc compound that supposedly keeps breath fresher longer. SmartMouth is another zinc-based mouthwash but it employs a unique two-part system for maximum efficacy.
SmartMouth claims support
We’re always skeptical of numerical claims because it’s fairly easy to design a test to get whatever number you want. But in this case it looks like SmartMouth has done a good job of realistic testing. So good, in fact, that their claims have stood up to scrutiny by the NAD (that’s the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau).
According to the Triumph Pharmaceuticals, Inc, the makers of SmartMouth, this mouthwash contains two solutions – one that contains sodium chlorite and the other that contains zinc chloride. When the two parts are mixed together they release a very high concentration of free zinc ions which penetrate plaque and block the gram-negative bacteria from converting amino acids into odorous sulfur compounds (which makes your breath smell.) The trick is that the free zinc ions are only stable for a short amount of time so the product must be mixed right before use. While other mouthwashes contain zinc, no other product uses the two part system to maximize the concentration. So, SmartMouth’s unique formula gives it a performance advantage. The company presented the NAD with published, independent, peer-reviewed evidence comparing SmartMouth to other zinc containing products. You can read all about it here but basically the NAD ruled that their data is sufficient to show it works better than other products and that it works for 12 hours.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
In a world of over-hyped products it’s nice to see that SmartMouth has unique technology that has proven to work.
Image credit: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, I am shocked! Isn’t it sad that most often these claims are completely bogus and the ones that are actually true can then be overlooked? Thanks for the info. I thought that bad breath came from what a person eats (i.e. will it truly last 12 hours after eating something garlicky?).
Gasp a product that actually works and does what it says?
I swear by it! Truly something advertised that truly works for the every day consumer.
I really like Dr. Katz’ Therabreath. Super easy to use (just shake the bottle) and it does the trick for hours and hours!
Angela: There are so many factors that contribute to bad breath. What you eat is only one factor that’s more related to garlic that gets in your bloodstream and will come out through your lungs than what’s in your mouth to cause mouth-related bad breath. The mouth-related issues that cause bad breath: Do you brush your teeth to get rid of plaque? Do you have tartar build-up? Do you dental floss to get rid of decaying food particles? Do you drink enough water? Do you scrape your tongue when you clean your teeth? Does your mouth chemistry cause you to have an issue with sulphur compounds? And the list goes on…
It’s also important to note that “fresh” breath doesn’t taste like mints, and “fresh” breath doesn’t have to have a burning sensation. “Fresh” breath should be “unnoticeable. “ SmartMouth neutralizes your breath so that your breath is just “clean.”