Why Does Listerine Burn? The Top Basic Reasons
Why does Listerine burn? Listerine contains a number of chemicals known as isomers, such as eucalyptol, menthol, thymol, and methyl salicylate, which can cause slight skin irritation but are responsible for killing germs.

Due to Listerine’s low ethanol content (due to concerns over oral cancer), not all oral bacteria can be totally eradicated.
It works by dissolving these components in your tongue, gums, and teeth. Every time these active substances come into contact with the tissues of your mouth and gums, a burning sensation will be felt.
Why Does Listerine Burn?
A well-known brand of an antiseptic mouthwash is Listerine. If you’ve seen Listerine commercials, you’re familiar with their tagline, “Kills germs that cause bad breath.”
It was created in 1879 by a chemist named Joseph Lawrence and was named after Joseph Lister, who is regarded as the father of antiseptic surgery. This mouthwash has been a fixture in many bathrooms for more than 100 years.
Listerine comprises the following four essential oils: methyl salicylate, eucalyptol, menthol, and thymol. The eucalyptus tree produces eucalyptol, an antibiotic and antifungal substance.
The antibacterial properties of menthol help stop the spread of microorganisms in the mouth. Thymol is an antiseptic that can aid in the treatment of oral infections, and methyl salicylate acts as a flavoring agent to promote fresh breath.
You might have noticed that Listerine burns if you’ve ever used it. Because of the alcohol and the specified essential oils, it burns when applied.
Some patients, according to our research, don’t mind the burning because it means the Listerine is working and they will have fresh breath thereafter.
Other patients, particularly those with sensitive gums, find the burning intolerable. It’s a good idea to switch to a mouthwash without any alcohol and a little amount of these essential oils if the burning sensation of Listerine causes you to develop painful ulcers or other problems.
Mouthwash can help you keep your teeth straight and freshen up, but it can’t take the place of excellent brushing and flossing. Always remember to clean and floss your teeth before rinsing with mouthwash.
What Is Listerine Good For?
Listerine mouthwash is only intended to be used to help prevent common oral health problems like bad breath, plaque, cavities, gingivitis, and tooth stains.
Listerine mouthwash is not intended to be gargled in the throat but rather swished in the mouth. Listerine has many products to choose from.
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Can We Use Listerine every day?
Mouthwash every day is also a great addition to your oral care routine. If used daily, it is a great way to freshen your breath and kill any harmful bacteria left over after flossing and brushing.
Is Listerine Bad For Your Gums?
Mouthwash can easily slip between teeth and below gums, dislodging hard-to-reach food particles and plaque.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Using Listerine?
1. It may cause irritation.
2. It may not be safe for (accidental) consumption.
3. It may cause a dry mouth.
4. It can mask potential oral health issues.
Do Dentists Recommend Listerine?
It doesn’t matter what type of bacteria it is, mouthwash will kill it.
The problem is that not every type of bacteria is bad for you—out of the 700 different types of bacteria you’ll find in the human mouth, the vast majority are benign. In fact, some of that bacteria is actually good for you.
Is Listerine Good For Teeth?
Mouthwash freshens bad breath and can help reduce plaque and gingivitis, as well as fight tooth decay and prevent cavities.
Mouthwash can really help improve your oral health. Mouthwashes containing fluoride can even help remineralize your teeth.
Which Is Better Salt Water Or Listerine?
It ultimately boils down to what you need to use an oral rinsing solution for.
As mentioned above, saltwater rinse is often recommended for soothing oral pain, and it is excellent at killing bacteria because the said bacteria cannot live in salt (hence why it can be used for meat preservation).
Why Does Listerine Burn So Much?
Some mouth rinses contain high levels of alcohol — ranging from 18 to 26 percent. This may produce a burning sensation in the cheeks, teeth, and gums.
Burning can also come from consistent mouthwash use, which causes irritated mouth tissue and can lead to mouth sores.
Which Type Of Listerine Is Best?
Listerine Total Care: The best all-around mouthwash – if you don’t mind the sting. Listerine dominates the mouthwash market, and Total Care is its flagship product.
It claims to kill up to 97% of germs while reducing plaque by up to 56% more than brushing alone. “Why Does Listerine Burn?”
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Should I Mix Listerine With Water?
Here are some quick tips and a simple routine to follow for the best results. Pour 20 milliliters (4 teaspoons) of Listerine Antiseptic rinse into a cup.
Empty the cup into your mouth. Don’t dilute the solution with water.
Do You Use Listerine Before Or After Brushing?
The Mayo Clinic recommends using mouthwash after brushing and flossing your teeth.
However, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends avoiding mouthwash right after brushing, since this may wash away the fluoride from your toothpaste. Instead, the NHS recommends using mouthwash at a different time of day.
Listerine has around 26% ethanol weight per volume (less now due to oral cancer fears), which means it cannot actually kill all mouth bacteria completely.
A burning sensation can be felt whenever these active ingredients come in contact with your mouth and gum tissues. Don’t hesitate to share with others and keep visiting our page.
CSN Team.