Mouth Boogers
Update: November 30, 2007 - This is a post I wrote almost 2 years ago about getting white goo (Mouth Boogers) in my mouth after using Listerine’s Whitening Pre-Wash. Since the original post, I’ve had thousands of hits to this page and hundreds of comments from others who have either had these Mouth Boogers or have attempted to explain the cause and remedy for them. To do my part to help, I’m going to summarize what has been revealed here.
1. Mouth Boogers appear to be the result of the peroxide used in over the counter whitening agents. Effectively, the peroxide is exfoliating the inside of your mouth and the removed dead skin becomes a Mouth Booger. Of course not everyone will get Mouth Boogers. We’re the lucky few, I guess?
2. Mouth Boogers are not dangerous and pose no threat. They’re just gross.
3. There is no “cure” for Mouth Boogers. If you want whiter teeth and don’t want to go through a professional whitening procedure then you’re going to have to suck it up and deal with the Mouth Boogers. Some people have reported that excessive rinsing of their mouth with mouthwash after using the whitening agent helps reduce the amount of Mouth Boogers they experience.
4. Most companies do not acknowledge Mouth Boogers but if you contact them, they may send you coupons for free products. It worked for someone else.
5. Mouth Boogers are not the result of Tonsiloliths. That is a separate condition where plaque from your tonsils end up in your mouth. These little items are hard and smell hellishly bad if crushed.
6. Finally, some people have wanted to file a class action lawsuit against companies who produce whitening agents. I think this is dumb. No one has been hurt or had any negative effects from Mouth Boogers. Just get over it and stop trying to win the legal lottery. You’re dumb.
Okay, I think that’s about it. I may update this as information is posted. Thanks to everyone who has kept this post alive for so long. Below, you will find my original post on Mouth Boogers and the hundreds of comments from others.
Original Post: January 6th, 2006
True story… Several years ago I got the feeling that there was something in my mouth. Specifically, I could feel whatever it was between my lower lip and teeth. I rubbed my finger in-between the two and pulled out a bit of slime. It was white and kind of stringy but not very long (maybe a quarter inch). Pretty gross, huh? At first, I was a little disgusted but mostly curious as to what the hell this shit was. After a while (about 15-20 seconds), I forgot about it and continued on my way. Since then, these things have randomly appeared every couple years. Having no clue what they were, I decided to call them mouth boogers.
I'm bringing this up because in the past two days I've gotten to work to realize I had mouth boogers. Fortunately this is not like having a hanging snot-wad from you nose so I don't have to worry about the typical office jokes that tend to go on for way too long, but it's still kind of strange. What's even stranger is that these mouth boogers are not white like my previous experiences but instead are more of an off-white or almost beige look. Not only that, but they've been freakishly long. The one today was well over an inch. How crazy/disgusting is that? I'm curious as to what's causing this but have only come up with the fact that I started using that Listerine Whitening PreWash crap. I'm going to stop using it for a few days and then start again to see if they come back… Such the scientist aren't I?
I did a googling of “mouth boogers” but all I came up with was a series of sites about why kids shouldn't put their boogers in their mouth. I stopped doing that several months ago so I'm sure the two are not related. I also know that to the best of my recollection (a good ol'southern word there for ya yanks) I've never taken a load of man-juice in the mouth so you pervs can just skip over that scenario. It doesn't really matter anyways because the mouth boogers have a much thicker consistency than baby batter.
So, does anyone have the cahones to admit they've had these things before? Anyone have any clue as to what they are?
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January 6th, 2006 at 10:02 am
This is funny. I haven't had what you had, but something altogether different. Little white chewy things. Really tiny, but similarly gross.
January 6th, 2006 at 10:13 am
Sounds just as bad … it hasn't stopped today. I've probably pulled out 2 or 3 more mouth boogers since posting this. I'm now gargling with Diet Coke to see if it can kill off whatever this is…
February 11th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
hey man, i get that shit too. It's the toothpaste we use. I switched over to Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash about 2 months ago and the day I started using it I no longer got the boogers. You can get it at your local Sav-On or similar drugstore. The only problem is the toothpaste and mouthwash are 7$ each. I've experimented and I i've used regular toothpaste and the biotene mouthwash and I didn't get it, and i've used biotene toothpaste and an alcohol free mouthwash (alcohol dries your mouth) and I didn't get it, but today I used a regular toothpaste (crest) and the crest alcohol free mouthwash and I DID get it. So i'm going to try using regular toothpaste and Biotene mouthwash and see if it comes back because If it doesn't, I think i'm gonna go with that combination (Regular toothpaste w/ biotene mouthwash). If you just use toothpaste switch to the Biotene and you will be cured.
August 21st, 2006 at 2:22 pm
Hey, I get this, too. When I was younger I remembere every time I brushed with Pepsodent I got it. So did my sister. I forgot about it until about 2 weeks ago I started getting it again. I had started using Colgate Total. I switched to a new Crest product…even worse. I went back to using Aim…plain old Aim and it stopped. I read that it can be caused from whitening products or toothpaste with peroxide, baking soda or alchohol in mouthwash. Switch to a plain non-whitening toothpaste and it should go away. It's disgusting, isn't it?
August 31st, 2006 at 7:02 pm
My weird conclusion is that it is plaque that gets stuck in your throat… or my sister thinks its food.that like. got stuck in your throat…or something.
September 1st, 2006 at 1:54 pm
It's not food. It is a direct result of the new whitening toothpastes. I've starting using Aim in the morning and Crest Pro-Health at night. I always get the slimers from the Crest that's why I only use it before bed. I never get it from the Aim. I figure I can still get the antiplaque, whitening and all the other benefits of the Crest at night when I don't have to be in public with slimers showing up.
January 15th, 2007 at 11:21 am
I get mouth boogers every time I use that Whitening prewash. I just never thought to call them that.
My first thought was that the peroxide in it burns a tiny layer of skin off the inside of my mouth. Not sure if that's true or not, but that's what it feels like.
January 15th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
I think that's exactly what it is dranktank (peroxide burning off skin)… I've stopped using the stuff and have a nearly full bottle sitting under my sink. I don't need white teeth that bad!
January 21st, 2007 at 12:29 am
Do they smell really baD? cuz the shit that comes out of my mouth is small beige and smelly looks like a noodle color
January 21st, 2007 at 4:42 pm
uhmm… I don't recall them smelling bad but I have an extremely weak sense of smell. Sorry.
January 21st, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Mine don't smell.
February 2nd, 2007 at 1:22 am
Glad to know that I'm not the only one. I use the Listerine pre-rinse and about 1/2 hour after I use it, my mouth has a coat of slime in it. No smell, no taste, just clear/cloudy slime. I googled this topic hoping to find I”m not alone.
February 15th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
Wow! So the Listerine whitening rinse has got to be it! I've been getting the mouth slime since I started using that stuff just within the last week or so and it's really been freakin me out! Glad to know I'm not alone but darn, I was getting so excited that I'd found an easy solution to whiten my teeth. Oh well, nothing's ever that easy is it?!
February 18th, 2007 at 12:52 am
ME TOO!! I just decided to look up “stringy slime in mouth” and got this link. When I scrolled down the page and saw Listerine Whitening PreRinse. I just started finding these things in my mouth too- perfectly timed with my starting to use the Listerine PreRinse. I had thought that this might be causing them. It'd be too coincidental not to be.
Anybody know why this stuff does this???
February 18th, 2007 at 8:42 am
yeah, the listerine stuff is burning off a layer of the skin in your mouth. the slime is that skin.
February 20th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I used the Crest Pro-Health toothpaste and rinse last night and this morning I woke up with a mouth full of these things you are all describing. It happened a few times in the past but not like today. I feel so much better knowing others have this and I am not alone. It is to embarressing to ask friends or family about. I am going to switch back to my regular toothpaste and mouth rinse.
February 20th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Ive gotten this nasty mouth thing ever since I started using Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. I have used Crest toothpaste my whole life, and never had a problem there. Just the standard Cavity protection one. Any suggestions on a good, cavity fighting and tartar protection toothpaste and mouthwash to switch to? Has anyone figured it out?
February 20th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
I use Colgate Total plus Whitening now. No mouth boogers and my dentist says everything rocks. Saw him today as a matter of fact.
February 21st, 2007 at 5:36 am
I've used Colgate Total Plus and really get the slime. I think we should all contact Crest and Colgate to complain. It has to be something in the whitening products. I've read it's silica along with peroxide. I finally had to buy Biotine. I don't care for it. It doesn't feel clean when I'm done brushing, but at least I don't have the slime. The worst is the new Crest line.
February 21st, 2007 at 8:11 am
I get no mouth boogers from the Colgate, just the Listerine Whitening stuff.
February 21st, 2007 at 12:46 pm
I went to the Crest Pro Health website and told them about this strange side affect I get after using their product. They will not know unless people tell them. I will give an update when I get a response from the company.
February 25th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Damn! I'm glad i'm not alone, I thought I was losing my mind!
I just switched to crest pro health and i'll be damned if i felt something strange in my mouth…put my finger bewteen my gum and teeth and this utterly disgusting pastie gooey grap that looks like Buggars came out.
I thought I was a freak. I look up mouth slime and it seems that everyone is experiencing the same stuff. Bye Bye Crest - This craps is gross.
I will be writing Crest Pro Health and I hope others do the same.
Freaked out in Florida
February 28th, 2007 at 10:02 am
Crest Pro-Health Rinse is nasty stuff. I got brown stains on my teeth after using it. After searching the net, I found plenty of information about the staining problem associated with this product. Go check out the reviews of Crest Pro-health rinse at Amazon. Or do a google search on its active ingredient (CPC) — which also functions as a pesticide!
Yuck.
February 28th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Has anyone loss any sense of taste? I've been using the listerine whitening rinse for just over a week and a half. Now suddenly the last day or two, everything taste really bland….like i can't taste saltyness. I also have the stringy mouth slime.
February 28th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I never did Dee, but I quit using it within a week. The stuff is peeling off a layer of skin though. I could see how that would impact your taste buds.
February 28th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I contacted Crest….I get a free coupon! I don't think that will stop the slime.
Lately, every whitening toothpaste I use gives me slime. Crest siad it is cell turnover. I would imagine if half your mouth turns to slime, the cells would have to turn over.
Everyone keep contacting each and every company whose product affects your mouth. Sooner or later they will have to change their formulas or loose business.
March 7th, 2007 at 10:14 am
I have lost my sence of taste and have the slime. Been using Listerine pre-rinse. The remaining of it will go down the drain!
March 10th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I just sent in my complaint about mouth boogers to Crest's website. They make it deceptive to get your question in to them … So be sure and click the final button on the 3rd page to get it past their guards.
http://crest.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/crest.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php
March 12th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
YES. lol I'm not alone!! I started using the Listerine whitening pre-rinse a few days ago and started getting this slime too! I just googled to try to figure out what was going on, and I find all of you! hahaha good we aren't alone I guess….. pretty disgusting all the same.
March 15th, 2007 at 8:41 am
I'm pretty sure what your seeing is dead skin cells from inside your mouth, pulling off as moisture is removed by the products you're using. Toothpaste formulas keep getting more and more complex, and to get ingredients not to react with each other, they have to reduce the chance of chemical activity, which usually happens in the presence of water. Therefore, a lot of the multibenefit products with multiple active ingredients have really low water levels in them. Once the products hit your mouth, they go searching for water to hydrate, and one of the easiest sources is the removable water from dead skin cells on your cheeks and gums. From what I understand, it's not dangerous (note that your cheeks and gums don't feel sore after use), it's basically accelerating the normal dead skin cell removal that happens in your mouth, and all at one time. After a short while (once most of the excess dead cells are removed), you should notice the issue being less frequent. If it really bothers you, stick with regular cavity toothpastes where water is the #1 ingredient (Crest Cavity, etc.).
March 16th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Well Frank, What about a couple of us who have a diminished sense of taste after using the product?
March 16th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Frank,
Do you work for one of these companies? You sound just like the letter they sent me. You sound like someone who hasnt experienced this so you dont understand. We all searched the internet for this topic for a reason. We didnt know what the heck was going on and now it seems more clear. Just use regular toothpaste.
March 18th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Okay I Googled this trying to figure out what the white stringy things that come out from under my tongue after I brush my teeth are and I showed my mom and she wouldn't even look at them. I've only had them since I started using Crest Pro-Health toothpaste and mouthwash and I think the dead skin theory is the most plausible. Now that I know what it is I'm not too worried about it - my mom thought it was this South American disease where you get sores that produce fibers lol.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:31 am
Actually, I've had it myself, and with Pro-Health paste too. After about halfway through the tube, it wasn't as bad, and I now only get it occasionally (weirdly, often a day or two after a night out - maybe I'm killing more than just brain cells!). For me, the clean mouth feeling is worth dealing with the grittiness and occasional flem strings with this product. I really like the cinnamon - tastes like Dentyne.
I've been involved with some of the product tests that these companies do, and you see this type of thing on a number of formulas. Baking Soda/Peroxide products seem to see it as well. Never heard about the loss of taste.
March 20th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I recently started using Whitening Listerine. Soon after I noticed the mouth boogers. I have to run my finger through my mouth to remove the debris. Nasty! Next I got a bad burning sensation in my Cheek. A couple days later my Parotid Gland swelled up and stayed that way for 5 days. Blood tests came back negative for Mumps. I continued using the Listerine not linking these problems to the mouth wash. Now my other Gland is acting up. Very sensitive , and the mouth boggers are still there. Obviously, I must stop using the product.
Has anyone else had a similiar problem?
March 21st, 2007 at 1:36 pm
I can't believe we haven't seen anything on TV or in the paper about all of this.
A message for Frank:
If it is all the old cells sluffing off, the problem will just continue since new cells become old cells. I have had the problem for over a year with any whitening toothpaste. I started to buy trial sizes rather than full tubes. Every one causes slime. It doesn't stop after a few months.
One helpful thing I did find. When I use a battery operated toothbrush it doesn't get as bad. I'm not sure why. I think maybe because the toothpaste is concentrated on the teeth rather than the cheeks, etc.
I've still never received my free coupon from Crest!
March 22nd, 2007 at 6:14 am
Thanks for the info folks! I have been having the same problem and have been a Crest user. I thought it was thrush or something?? Thanks again!
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:45 am
I also get the mouth slime, and I use sensodyne. My girlfriend has the same issue, same toothpaste. Haven't tried switching, but need the sensitive tooth soothing type paste, so not a lot to choose from.
As to the others that have the hard chunks of smelly stuff that are yellow/brown/off-white/smelly, those come from the back of your throat, behind your tongue. Somehow they form in the throat and you end up getting them into your mouth. They look like little pebbles. No cure for them I'm aware of, they seem to come and go. I suspect most people don't even expel them, and just swallow them, assuming they are bits of food. Sometimes clearing your throat you will also dislodge them.
March 22nd, 2007 at 2:06 pm
I used to have this same problem. I read up on it and it is actually the kind of flouride that is in crest and many other toothpastes. Some people actually develop an allergy to it. The only kind I can use is regular aquafresh. Read the boxes and it has a different kind of flouride in it than crest and colgate.
March 24th, 2007 at 8:24 am
I have had the same problem ever since I started using the Crest Pro-Health Rinse and tooth paste. The bad part is that I just bought a huge bottle of it last night and just got done using it. I never put the two together. I was a little concerned becasue everytime I brushed my teeth, i got this white slimy stuff in my mouth about 15 - 20 min after using the products. I'm glad to see i'm not alone and I will be contacting Crest about this.
March 26th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Unbelievable! I searched all over Google and kept skipping this page because it didn't seem “authoritative.” But I didn't find any substantive answers until I read the postings. I've been using Crest Pro Health for four days, and the white stringy things started coming after two days of using the product. I hadn't noticed a link between whitening toothpastes and the strings before (I've had the “strings” intermittently, and thought that I had some sort of illness).
I'm switching toothpastes immediately to confirm that the Crest is the problem.
March 27th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I've got it. I researched “mouth slime” and found this website. i've been using same thing
March 27th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Wow. I use the Listerine Whitening and the Colgate Total Whitening.
It seems I find the slime more noticeable since the Colgate. Teeth slimy too.
March 29th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Hahahaha that's funny. I'm having the same shit in my mouth to and i came to the conclusion that it was due to that Listerine Whiteneing prewash stuff to. I never had them before but about 2 weeks ago i started using that prewash and ever since I been pulling these things out of my mouth. Im wonder what is actually happening though.
March 30th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
yeah i've been gettin mouth boogers lately. I'm not sure why.. I think its a good thing.. you're getting dead skin out your mouth.. unless you're someone who leaves it in your mouth lol. I think its becuz I use this whitening toothpaste.
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:06 pm
THEY SMELL REALLY BAD!
April 6th, 2007 at 9:26 am
I've had the same problem, and it has exacerbated itself now that I've switched to Pro Health products. My dentist yesterday advised me that it is my mouth having an allergic reaction to the product. She did note that Crest and Colgate both acknowledge that this may happen with their product, but state that there is no known problem with this (aside from the obvious side effect of skin coming out of your mouth). Just the same, she herself advised me to switch to a non whitening, non tarter control toothpaste.
Her view on it was, in 30 years, it may cause some health problems that no one at this point would know about, and it is better safe than sorry. I could argue with her logic, but why take the risk?
April 6th, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Just following up…as I said, I stopped using Crest Pro Health and voila - problem gone!
April 7th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
I too have recently been using crest pro health and have been getting these slimy things. I came across this story looking for answers to my problem: not only have I gotten these slimy things while using this pro health crap, today it cause the top layer of my tongue to come off! my tongue is friggin killing me! I'm switching to Toms of Maine all natural shit tomorrow!
April 10th, 2007 at 12:43 am
I emailed Listerine (Pfizer) about the mouth slime that I had been experiencing. I got an email back almost immediately, asking me to contact customer service.
I contacted the Pfizer customer service department and got the smarmy runaround. You know: “We can't give medical advise and tell you what it is…. you will have to ask your doctor” that kind of crap. The irony is that I was not asking for a diagnosis, I just wanted to know what that stuff in my mouth is after using their product.
Before I was curious, now I am testy.
April 10th, 2007 at 11:16 am
I too have had a similar problem with Crest Pro-Health. I noticed a white, stringy, slimy, substance in my mouth about 15 minutes after brushing. The first time I noticed it, the slime worked its way to the front of my mouth and I pulled it out. In my experience it was not painful and came right out. I did not think much of it at the time. About 4 days later it happened again. So I went home and brushed my teeth, then I examined my mouth about 15 minutes later. I had three or four of these things at the bottom of my gums between my cheeks. It really is quite revolting. I was ready to see a doctor — thinking it might be a symptom of a serious problem. Having found this site, I feel fairly cretain changing toothpaste will end the problem.
Thanks to everyone
April 10th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
I contacted my dentist who advised:
1. The stringy stuff is dead cells, caused by abnormal irritation of the lining of the mouth.
2. This indicates some type of allergic response to a chemical in the product.
and 3. I should probably stop using the product, Now you have the story per my dentist.
April 12th, 2007 at 8:07 am
this is goin to be the answer to ur question about the smelly things of the back of ur throat read on….
Tonsiloliths
My brother and a co-worker of mine both have tonsiloliths. Literally, “tonsil stones” and sometimes referred to, so pleasantly, as “throat scabs” these nasties are actually just whitish balls of accumulated goo that form around food particles and bacteria rather like a pearl does around a grain of sand. They live tucked away in the tonsil cavity, occasionally peeking out to say hello and cause a little halitosis. Oh, they also are without question the stinkiest things I have ever smelled produced from a living human body.
If they are ready you can pop them out and dispose of them. I’ve had the unfortunate privilege of witnessing both my co-worker and my brother do this. The funny thing is that they both thought they were uniquely afflicted with these mouth-born stinkbombs and were either too embarrassed or too unconcerned ever to wonder if it were a documented condition. Of course, it is. Googling around a bit with descriptive keywords it is easy to find forums devoted solely to people happy to be in the company of other tonsilolith-producers.
Having witnessed all this, I consider myself a second-hand tonsilolith sufferer. At present, there are no online communities devoted to this topic
April 12th, 2007 at 8:08 am
it has nothing to do with the tooth paste u use or neither the mouth wash or ne products
April 12th, 2007 at 8:47 am
I don't think that's what the majority of us are talking about. It is most definitely connected to the mouthwash/toothpaste. I'm not sure if you were implying that this is what we're experiencing or if you were just throwing it out there. But it does not seem to be what we (or most of us) are talking about.
April 12th, 2007 at 8:53 am
I, too, suffer from Tonsiloliths! Maybe I should start a forum?
April 12th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Diego, This is a totally seperate problem from what most of us are talking about. Mine slime doesn't stink!!! It is also not coming from the throat. It is a direct reaction from whitening toothpastes. The slime and or strings form around the cheeks and between teeth after brushing with the offending toothpaste. We all have to hound Colgate, Listerine, Crest, etc. so they will change their formulas.
April 12th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Diego,
I guess there may be multiple issues, but what I am referring to does not stink, in fact it is odorless. Moreover, it is not hard, as every description of tonsiloliths indicates, and they could not be “popped” out as they sit loose in the mouth about 15-20 minutes after brushing. Unquestionably, what I, and I think several others are talking about, is directly related to the toothpaste.
April 13th, 2007 at 7:39 am
Well, all I use is the regular Listerine mouthwash and I get this white slimy film in the morning when I wake up. It's pretty gross, but like someone said, I can run my finger along the bottom row of my teeth and gums and pull out a lot of it. Once it's gone, it's gone, and I only seem to get it when I use the mouthwash. I have never noticed it from using toothpaste alone. Whatever it is, it's gross.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
I have these stringy things for a month or more, now I have an irritated throat, tongue,and mouth. Now I have an ear infection, which started in the left side of my throat. Just wondering if the two could be related?
April 16th, 2007 at 10:56 am
I too have been using Crest Pro Health, and what do ya know?? Every morning I get these lovely mouth boogers. How freakin' embarassing!
I an done with Pro Health.
I have noticed that people are having this problem with Listerine Whitening Pre-Rinse, and I've been using that for over a year with no mouth boogers.
Maybe I am just allegric to the toothpaste and not the mouthwash, but just a head up.
I am going back to my old toothpaste by tonight.
April 17th, 2007 at 2:20 am
ANY whitening product gives me this slime…I slipped up and bought whitening Sensodyne last week…have the mouth boogers again.
April 18th, 2007 at 10:18 am
So I am not the only one. I've been picking out mouth boggers for the past 3 hours after using Listerine with Teeth Whitening solution. It makes kissing rather embarrassing
April 18th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Thank you for the very enlightening and hilarious web page - hilarious, I suspect, partially because Dave's comical description of this resonated so perfectly with my experience (I had even asked a few people if they had ever had “mouth boogers”, and they reacted as though I were from another planet), and partially out of relief to find others have had this. I've been using sensodyne brand toothpaste for about a month, and now that I read all your accounts of this condition and see that one of the people who responded even mentioned sensodyne, it all makes sense, because the timing coincides. I never bought the sensodyne brand before, because other brands (colgate, aim, crest) were always much cheaper, but I happened to be at a store where sensodyne was the cheapest one last time I bought toothpaste. Thanks for cluing me in to this before I went out and bought another tube of this brand! I'm pretty sure that changing back to the other brands will solve the problem. It sure is a weird thing, isn't it? And no one who hasn't had it would have the slightest idea what we are all talking about!
April 19th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
I just now wrote Crest and found this website. I used Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste and experienced similar reaction, but I kept using it. I also experienced swelling in my lips. Well, I found this to be okay because I am in my late 30's and enjoyed the collagen implant look without the high price. I did quit using the paste, though. Well, last night I accidentally used it again (my husband still uses it) and this morning my lips were almost as big as Will Smith in the movie “Hitched”. I have since decided this was not a good plan for cheep lip implants. I will rid our house of all of this toothpaste.
Thanks for the site! Many laughs
April 19th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
I meant to say 'cheap' implants. say, crest already wrote me back. That is nice of them.
April 20th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
I am so glad I found this site! I googled “inside skin coming off of mouth” and immediately found you. So, I've been using Listering Whitening Prewash for about two weeks and Crest Pro Health toothpaste for two days. (A lethal combination I'm finding!) The weird experiences I have had. The first time I used the Listering my whole tongue went tingly and I lost my taste until lunch the next day. But crazily I kept at it because I wanted the whitening effect. But after using the Crest, I too had slimy skin coming off of my gums and cheeks…I could almost scrape it off. Very weird and gross… No smell like some of the other posts, just stringy and slimy. Thank you to the previous post for the dentist information about allergic reactions. I am most definitely stopping!!
April 20th, 2007 at 11:17 pm
I noticed my sensodyne claims to have “extra whitening” power, and the culprit all the products that cause this seem to have in common is whitening agents, perhaps (although I don't know what Crest Pro Health has). I'm concerned, because I wonder if all this sloughing off of skin layers could be a cancer-causing irritant over time. Someone needs to look into this. Meanwhile, I'm just thankful to have my awareness raised, and I'll be vigilant about the toothpastes I use.
April 21st, 2007 at 2:23 pm
haha! I'm soooo happy to read this post because I googled this topic trying to find out if I was the only one this has happened to. I started using Listerine Whitening a few weeks ago and have had a consistent daily occurrence of “mouth boogers.” I run my finger along my gums and it just comes off in strings!! It's pretty gross, but equally intriguing at the same time. Problem is, they've appeared in my mouth during a conversation before and I'm sure the woman I was talking to thought I was making some weird mouth gestures trying to get it off my tongue.
ugh. I like the Listerine Whitening and can notice it's effects on my teeth, but I DO NOT like mouth boogers. not cool.
April 22nd, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Yea..I get the same thing. I looked it up today after using a whitening toothpaste. I had a lot of clear stringy stuff in mouth as well. Gross… MOUTH BOOGERS BLOW.
April 23rd, 2007 at 8:57 am
Oh my God, I thought I was the only one with this problem…any Listerine product gives me the mouth boogers. It feels like the sides of my mouth are being stripped away. I haven't tried Pro Health, and I generally haven't had a problem with whitening products in the past, but this stringy crap is NASTY.
April 24th, 2007 at 3:33 am
Funny, I didn't think to google “mouth boogers” but I sure was interested in a discussion! I have started to use Listerine PreBrush just before I go to bed– yeah, it's the only way to keep the goop out of my morning socializing. It isn't the sexiest thing I could have going on.
April 24th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
YES!!! I get this slimy thing with the Listerine whitening rinse, though I don't think I got it from the ProCrest whitening rinse.
I only bought the Listerine because it was on sale. In the past I've always found that any form of Listerine was too harsh, too painful. ProCrest was OK, at least by comparison.
I am relieved that it's “just” my mouth's mucous membrane being burned off, day after day, cell by cell. Still, I'm gonna switch back to ProCrest and see if it stops.
Gross!
mouth booger — great name!
isn't the internet wonderful?!! you type in “stringy white mouth” and you find mouth boogers and peace of mind, instantly!
April 25th, 2007 at 10:37 am
I suggest that people who are experiencing this stringing white mucous in their mouth after using Listerine Whitening Pre-brush should call 1-800-223-0182.
I didn't have a problem with this last summer or in winter. Now I am experiencing this problem with the last 32 ounce bottle that I purchased.
Listerine told me to contact my dentist. My teeth and gums are in excellent condition however it was suggested that I stop using the Listerine.
Right now I am having some spring allergy problems and I am not sure if there is a connection with the Listerine.
After I use the Listerine I'm constantly clearing my throat to talk. I continually take my finger and clear the white gunk from my gums.
I see Listerine has a recall on their Agent Cool Blue product. I think it's time they do more research on the Listerine Whitening Pre-brush product.
April 25th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
I am so glad that this site is out there. I have been using Crest Pro-health toothpaste in association with Listerine Whitening mouthwash and have been pulling out white slime from the bottom of my mouth and teeth about an hour later. I thought there was something wrong with my gums, but my son started complaining about it, too. I'm sick of pulling this stuff out of my mouth, so I am never using these products, again!!!!
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:00 am
I know this is a year old, but I found it while researching if Listerine Whitening Pre-Brush Rinse might be bad for me. Aparently it destroys tooth enamel, and one person said it made their teeth crack. But anyway…
Whenever I use this rinse or any other peroxide product in my mouth, my mouth gets extremely irritated, and the skin sloughs off of the insides of my cheeks, forming said boogers. I can't sit there at work all day scraping them out, so sometimes I just try to loosen them with my tongue and swallow them. It's gross, but I've gotten so used to them being there it's the only logical thing to do.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Okay, I have been googling for two hours now and came across this site. I thought I was the ONLY freak out there with the mouth slime thing-a-ma-jigums. After using Listerine Whitening, I noticed this phenomenon.
Most of you are way off, you guys are describing tonsil balls, those are the things that get lodged in back of your throat up there by your tonsils, either to the left or the right. That is from particles of food that got built up behind the back of your tongue. Yes, they smell gross, and sometimes you cannot resist the urge to walk around “hocking” to get them loose. They are round beige looking and squishy.
The stuff I'm talking about however, is white. It sluffs off from the inside of your cheeks and between your lips and your gumline. You can literally use your tongue and peel it loose from the insides of your mouth sometimes. I had an embarrassing thing happen to me a couple of times. I was talking ot a co-worker, and I felt this wired thing on my lip. The mouth slime had worked it's way onto my lip during my conversation. Ughhhhh!!! Needless to say my co-worker was polite and acted as if nothing happened. To my face anyway. Behind my back ..well… .
I stopped using the listerine for a year and the mouth slime stopped. Then, a few months ago I started using it again. Let's just say…I had mouth Slime Central AGAIN.
I threw the rest away it wasn't woth the embarrassment.
Needless to say. I started using Crest Multipurpose and Crest Whitening Expressions. Holy catshit. I am currently recovering from third degree chemical burns on my lips. My lips started feeling chapped after I used it the first time. Then they started to burn, I was like, oh yeahhhh..it's working baby. Then they started swelling, then the blisters appeared. I'm healing now. I'd smile if I could. After five days of Crest, my lips are literally melted and the only thing that saves me now is Blistex that I have to apply 5 times an hour! My tongue tingles still, I guess from shock. All this for white teeth? I can't tell if they are white cos I can't friggin smile cos my lips are melted and my tongue well its not melted but I'm sure the nerve damage and tingling I'm experiencing ain't the friggin minty fresh feeling they ACTUALLY meant.
May 8th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
it's called “prewash” brush your teeth afterwards and use a regular mouth wash when you are done.
you will so not get those mouth boogers or what it is…. peroxide residue.
GEESH folks here we are in the 21st. century and all ye all don't know how to oral hygene?
May 9th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I thought I was pregnant at first, so I checked for pregnancy symptons. Slimy mouth didn't come up, so I searched for slimy mouth. I also have combined the lethal combination of Crest Pro-Health and the Pre-Wash Mouth wash. LJ, I think you have NO idea what you are talking about…oral hygeine !!?!? Whether its peroxide residue or whatever, it's NASTY!!! and it shouldn't be happening. Why should anyone have peroxice residue in their mouth from trying to maintain a healthy mouth, then whats the point. I used prewash and after brushing, I used regular mouthwash. I am still slimy…gross!!!!!
May 9th, 2007 at 9:17 am
GEESH lj, do you really think you're introducing groundbreaking news here for all the people that have had this problem? Let me help you, no you're not. When I used the prewash, I did just as you said. Prewash, brush, and then mouthwash. I got the mouth boogers. Ever since dropping the prewash from my morning routine, no mouth boogers.
You're a dipshit.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:02 am
I think the fact that you can't type English properly makes everything you just said not worth our time to reply to because you're most likely a 12 year old child.
May 9th, 2007 at 11:39 am
Glad to find this site. I've had this problem for the past two years and haven't been able to find any information about it until now. I'll be throwing out my Crest, Colgate, and Listerine tonight.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:56 am
lj, it is not “peroxide residue”. It's sloughing skin. Yes, you're supposed to brush afterward, but unless you brush the insides of your lips and cheeks, it's not going to help anything. Even if you did, doing that and using regular mouthwash will cause a great deal of soreness.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
To follow up, I got rid of my Colgate, Crest, and Listerine last night, and went to the store looking for some plain old toothpaste. It was tough to find toothpaste that wasn't either “whitening” or “advanced” with multiple active ingredients. More than half of the shelf space was devoted to Colgate or Crest. However, I found a box of plain Aquafresh on the bottom shelf. Tried it last night and for the first time in two years I woke up without a mouth full of slime. I can hardly believe it was all because of the toothpaste I was using.
So thank you for posting this site. It was pretty depressing having to waste five minutes every morning removing the slime that was coating the sides of my mouth and hidden beneath my tongue. (Not to mention the disgusting feeling when I would wake up and find it oozing out unto my lips) I had tried several times over the past couple years to find out what the problem was, but couldn't find a solution until now.
Keep spreading the word.
May 13th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Hey has anyone been seen by a doctor?? I heard this a a std. You may want to get checked out
May 13th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
tracy, with all due respect, you're a moron. Symptoms of STDs don't begin and end with the use of peroxide based rinses or toothpastes.
May 13th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
oh MAN, wouldn't that suck for all peroxide-based rinces/toothpastes, they give us all STDS….I see lawsuit written all over that one. lol obviously we don't have an STD when it happened only with these products… you really need to take a class on sexual education.
May 13th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Havent you heard of the oral hpv virus? Numbers 16 and 18 lead to oral cancer and the oral mocussa slofs off in your mouth.Check with your Doctor thats what they told me it is from.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I don't deny that oral cancer could leave some shit in your mouth. The point I'm trying to get through your thick skull is that the shit I and the others here have experienced began and ended with the use of peroxide based washes and toothpastes. If any of us had oral cancer, we would still get the mouth boogers even after discontinued use of the peroxide agents.
May 14th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
what kind of stuff does oral cancer leave in your mouth??
May 14th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
fuck if I know, but I'm sure it isn't peroxide residue
May 14th, 2007 at 2:29 pm
Hey I get that white thick goo in my mouth in the morning and during the day it still feels slimey. Any know what this is??
May 14th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Julie,
It's irritation from the ingredients in most all of the whitening toothpastes. It is actual skin sloughing off, or so we've been told. I get it from all whitening products and even some other harsh toothpaste. Peroxide and large amounts of silica can cause it. Go back to using regular toothpaste and it should go away.
May 14th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Hi Peggy,
Thanks for taking my call. My mucusa feels sore. Do you think this could be a more serous problem? Sloughing off of mucusa doesn't sound normal. In the morning my mouth is slimey and usually has white thick saliva by my lower teeth in between cheak and teeth. It's not so much stringy as it is just gooey.I use aim tooth paste and no oral rinses. thanks peg!
May 14th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Hi, Julie
My mouth did that for over 2 years ubtil I descovered it was the whitening toothpaste. I tried a million…all the same. You could try using Biotene toothpaste. It's for dry mouth. It's cheapest at Walmart. Ohterwise, try regular Aquafresh. I started to only buy trial size until I found something that didn't slime me!!
I've been ok with regular aim and regular aquafresh. The new pastes are too harsh for a lot of people. Crest Prohealth is the absolute worste. The slime was so bad it woke me up at night. I had to get up and pull long slime things out for about 10 minutes.
May 14th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
hey i have a question, i get a thick white goo on my lips and inside my mouth every morning. does anyone else have this? if so can this be from toothpaste or rinse or a more serious medical problem??
May 15th, 2007 at 10:10 am
hello!
is anyone there??? does this sound like what you have sticky white thck saliva in the morning?
May 15th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Tina, you probably didn't get a response because your question made it seem like you didn't even READ through this blog. If so, you should be able to see if what you have is similar. If it is what most of us experienced it is not saliva…it is an allergic reaction to the whitening products causing the inside skin of your mouth to slough off. (Toothpaste, mouthwash, rinse, etc.) If this white slime goes away when you stop using these products, then yes, you had we had. But yes…sticky, white, thick, slimey, you can describe it however you want…you should be able to see and feel it. I first noticed it in the morning, but after continued use of these products I had it all the time! BUT, stop using these whitening products and go back to normal toothpaste and mouthwash and you should be fine. I haven't had it since, and I credit this blog!!!! Good luck!
May 16th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Yeah, I quit using Listerine Pre-brush Whitening Rinse and no more mouth boogers! It definitely is from the peroxide which would be my guess. Ever put peroxide on a facial blemish? OMG it turns it into one big gigantic looking pussy pimple…. It's just a reaction from the peroxide on the dead skin.
STD??? I don't think so. Good job on the comments to Tracy.
It would be nice if the makers of these products would be honest with us when we call their 800 number to complain. They are most likely aware of the problem but don't want to admit it.
Their labels should read: “WARNING: Use of product may cause white, slimy film along gumline.”
So much for having nice white clean teeth
May 17th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Oh wow! I also thought I was a freak of nature! Yes, I started using an off-brand whitening “compare to crest” mouthwash….and the same thing happened to me! Actually, I have used the stuff before and it never happened…but this time around it did. The first time I noticed it, I was talking and suddenly I felt something on my lip, I pulled it away to see a white-gel like stringy goo on my finger, which if I rubbed by fingers together it would eventually dry up. I was also using peroxide and well to get rid of an ulcer…so that did not help either. I noticed it in the back of my mouth, along my gum line and on the sides and bottom of my tongue. I could literally pull it off of my tongue. Some days were worse than others. I figured it was probably the rince, and I stopped using it and bingo! So instead I switched to only peroxide….now it is doing the same. So I thought maybe I had some strange disease f the mouth because I was a naughty girl back in Jan….(whole other story) any how, I figured that because my sister was not having the same issues. Well, I googled “slime in mouth” and came across here. Boy do I feel SOOOOOO much better….!!! I had it tonight and it totally ruined my night…but I did use peroxide before I left….so it has to be something in the peroxide “burning” off layers of skin, which reminds me my doc told me not to do that!!! Lol!
May 17th, 2007 at 2:12 am
Same dead skin slime lining the cheeks on the inside of my mouth here. Through trials I've found it may be more than one product I'm using. I use the whitening pre brush listerine followed by crest vivid white. I never had a problem for a months then all of a sudden it became very bad. I think it got worse because I was using the whitening prebrush too long. I've forgotten to use it a couple times and still had a very small amount of slime. I cut down to about half the time on the directions and it slowly returned to normal. I think the slime comes from the whitening chemicals in the mouthwash and the toothpaste. I checked crest out and they say the cleaning in the pro health toothpastes may cause the skin to shed, but it is not unsafe. I just regulate how long I use the products more closely now and I think I'm fine. The combination of whitening products probably exposes too much of a certain chemical to my mouth. Surely five minutes of listerine is too much, but who times it?
May 17th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Hey everyone, what is going on with these toothpaste companys. If you think about it I never heard of this 20 years ago when all we had was plain old toothpaste. I am afraid in another 20 years when these companys find out how many people got oral cancer form their mouth shedding skin cells. What will they say then “OPPS MY BAD”
May 17th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Wow, 100 comments on Mouth Boogers. Who would have thought?
May 17th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Has anyone talked with a doctor or dentist to see if this can cause oral cancer?
May 17th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Wow, reading this makes me realize that about 4 years ago I was using a whiteing gel with the mouth trays at night. The next day I kept getting stringy white stuff in my mouth. That whiting gel has 16% peroxide in it. Stay clear of these whiting gels also.
May 17th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I think we should all just take a moment and thank dave for this blog. What would we do if we didn't have all this information. Thanks Dave!!
May 17th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I am so glad I found this site! I have noticed the slimy stringy stuff since I started using the Listerine whitening pre-rinse, especially first thing in the morning. I was at the dentist today, and my hygienist was cleaning my teeth. As she was picking away, she said, “Are you using any kind of a mouth rinse?” I said, “Funny you should ask…” and I told her about the mouth boogers. She said she was noticing them in my mouth, and that's why she asked about rinse. My dentist then confirmed that the peroxide in the whitening rinse does indeed “burn” tissue from the gums and cheeks. I promised him I will STOP using the Listerine, and when I got home I immediately googled “Listerine peroxide stringy” and found you guys. Thanks so much!
May 17th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
PLEASE…everyone who is having trouble, contact the companies. That's the only way we will get results is to complain, complain, complain!
They have to pay attention sooner or later.
May 17th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
For some reason Peroxide and professional teeth whitening gels dont give me those gross slimmy things only the crest pro health products. I wonder why?
AMS
May 18th, 2007 at 9:06 am
I am a little nervous, I get those white sticky strings also but I use aim toothpase with no rinse. Does anyone esle have that problem? I thought aim was just regular toothpaste, does anyone know if it could be caused by a different reason besides toothpaste or rinses.
May 18th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Thanks for the blog Dave. Makes sense to me. Combo of Listerine Advanced with Tatar Control and Crest Pro Health made my mouth look like a porn chick's vag. Switching today. I may have to see what other magnificent info ddod.net holds. Aren't search engines the best?! Thanks again.
May 18th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Peggy, did you say that aim worked good for you? I use aim and I get the sloughing of the oral skin. I looked at the active ingredients and hydrated sillica is in it also SD alcohol.Do you think this has to do with the skin sloughing?
May 18th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Come on folks, I think we're beatin a dead horse here. Just quit buying and/or using the stuff and they'll get the idea that it's not a product that we want. I quit using the Pre-rinse Listerine months ago, don't have the problem anymore, and life is beautiful.
May 18th, 2007 at 11:51 am
I have to agree with Kelly. The free-market works. Once the shelves are stocked to the brim because no one is buying peroxide based products, they'll stop making them. I stopped using the pre-rinse after righting this post over a year ago and haven't had a mouth booger since. Life is good again.
May 18th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Thanks and have a good weekend
May 18th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Hey everyone, what am I going to use I dont use crest or listerine and I still get slime and boogers.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
Hey, Martha
It's pretty much trial and error. Just keeping buying different trial sizes (save some money) until you find one that works for you. When I was little…a LONG time ago, pepsodent used to do the same thing to my sister and I. She can't use anything colgate now. Try to find something where there is neither peroxide or silica or where silica is way down on the list. I think aquafresh has one without either. Give that a try.
May 18th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Peggy, can you tell me what toothpase your sister uses now. maybe that will work for me. what do you use?
May 19th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Kelly: If the discussion bores you, don't read it.
dpb: If you don't want anymore contributions to your blog, shut it down.
May 19th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Jo, Way to go!! why do they keep checking the blog if they don't want to here about it anymore?
May 19th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Hi everyone, just to let you know I have the same problem. I went to my ENT Doctor yesterday and he said this is a form of Dysplasia. It is a pre cancerous condition. You will always have it. It gets irratated with the use of harsh mouthwashes or toothpaste. But the underlying problem is a pre cancerous condition. Please see a health professional.
May 19th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
That’s odd… you would think regular ol’Listerine would be significantly “harsher” than a simple pre-wash. Thanks shelia.
May 19th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Sorry about your diagnosis Shelia. Sounds like you have something quite different than the tissue sloughing the rest of us have. Good luck.
May 19th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
Martha,
I was using aim for the last 2 weeks with no problem. Today I had mild strings…nothing bad. Martha, I’m not sure what my sister uses. We live in different states. Look at both the aim and aquafresh ingredients…all of their different kinds. Pick the one without silica or where silica is way down the list. Give that a try and see how it works. If you can find trial sizes get those and save your money.
May 20th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Shelia,
I’m surprised your ENT doctor would even given an opinion on this tissue sloughing, since it has nothing to do with your ears, nose, or throat. Have you considered asking a dentist or periodontist instead?
May 20th, 2007 at 9:57 am
JO, I thought the same thing about my ENT but he is a medical doctor. I aked my general doctor he thought it was from dry mouth. He said he has other patients that have white sticky saliva in there mouth and it was caused from being dry. I seems different doctors have different opinions.
May 20th, 2007 at 9:59 am
Peggy, I don’t understand how you can use a product for 2 weeks with no problems and then the stringy goo comes back. It doesn’t sound like it is the toothpaste or mouthwashes.
May 20th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Hey I am glad I found this website. Is shelia the only one that has talked with a doctor about this?? Maybe if we all go to see our doctors and ask them what this is we would get enough opinions and really figure this out. If we all rely on this website with no professional opinions we really will never know really what this is. I get this same thing I don’t use rinses just aquafresh tripple protection. My doctor had no idea what was wrong with me.She said she had never herd of anyone getting sticky gooey substance by there cheek and gums. That really scares me when my doctor has never heard of it. Help!!
May 20th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Shelia,
I don’t think any of us are talking about white sticky saliva. We are talking about the lining of our mouths sloughing off due to the chemical burn caused by tooth whitening products.
May 21st, 2007 at 12:56 pm
For your reading pleasure, go to the reviews on this product.
http://www.amazon.com/Listerine-Whitening-Pre-Brush-Rinse-Clean/dp/customer-reviews/B0009I4J50
Now I’m using the rinse periodically and then I swish with clear water afterward. When my bottle is gone then I’m boycotting the product and all others that have hydrogen peroxide. I find some days are worse then others and it depends if my mouth is dry.
Thanks dpb and Jo
May 21st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Fantastic site, I’ve suffered from these ‘mouth boogers’ for years and have been terrified of what they might be. I never thought of a link between toothpaste / mouthwash but have recently changed toothpaste so it is possible. I’m not using any of the brands mentioned though. I’m in the UK and don’t know where my fellow sufferers are from. I’ve just switched to MacLean’s Ice Whitening and use a mouth wash that I can’t remember the name of.
I’m going to run some home trials and compare products and active ingredients and record the results. If there is a link, I’ll find it.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Thank God for the internet! My girlfriend and I have been dealing with this nasty shit for a few weeks now. Without going into too much detail, I got it first and thought she needed to make an appointment with her gyno ASAP. Then she started getting it too and we started wondering if we had some strange infectious disease. She mentioned the toothpaste thing about a week ago because we just bought Crest Pro Health for the first time(3 for 1 at Costco!). I automatically dismissed the idea, as she has this habit of linking every tiny physical abnormality to something completely random. I’ll be damned if she didn’t nail this one! We’ll be buying new toothpaste today and bidding farewell to disgusting mouth slime.
May 22nd, 2007 at 4:36 pm
I get these white gooey stringy things too. My doctor said that my mouth was dry and that is what causes it. I don’t use any mouth rinses, so it must be the toothpaste. The funny thing is no one else in the family has this and we all use the same toothpaste.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:31 pm
[...] Mouth Boogers - I wrote this in January of ‘06 and I’m still getting comments on it. Who would have thought? [...]
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I went to the dentist today, they told me that they have so many complaints about oral rinses and toothpastes. Anything with tarter control or whiteners you should stay away from. There are so many people with this problem of the mucusa sloffing off. They said to get just plain colgate. And use no rinses.
May 23rd, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Hey wheres peggy?
May 24th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I literally thought I was going insane! I use crest whitening toothpaste and i get that EVERY single morning! YAY
May 24th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
I’m right here, Sue. I’ve had jury duty!! Going on vacation soon, so I might not be responding right away.
I, too have dry mouth from some meds. I really think that does make it worse.
May 25th, 2007 at 2:31 am
I have mouth boogers also, I started getting them a week ago when I started using Listerine Whitening Pre-wash. I just got really grossed out when my husband passionately kissed me and got a mouth booger in his mouth….It is freaking gross! I am so embarassed that this happened and he watched me give birth twice! I am contacting Listerine next, our mouthes are literally falling apart, that can not be a good thing!
May 26th, 2007 at 12:27 am
I came across this site while checking to see if crest pro health toothpaste had been recalled because I recently bought some on a sale at the grocery store and it took me a couple of times to realize it was causing huge hive like bumps in my mouth!!!! Then I see people saying the pro health rinse makes their teeth brown! I am frustrated beyond all get out. No mouth boogers but yucky mouth sores are equally frustrating
May 26th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I also have had epithelial peeling as a result of Crest Pro-Health. As a college bio-chem major, I took interest and checked up on the active ingredients in the Crest paste and rinse, as well as the Listerine rinse; they all contain pretty strong ionic compounds (stannous fluoride, sodium phosphate, and cetylpyridinium chloride). It’s easy to see how this could pull water right out of the superficial cells in your mouth, causing them to slough off. I doubt it poses any danger though, as the new cells below should be adequately protected by the mucous they produce. In fact, this peeling (assuming its not causing sensitive spots or sores), while inconvenient, is probably beneficial to the overall health of your mouth; it accelerates new cell turnover, and removes the old cells which could only be harboring bacteria/hindering the properly functioning cells beneath.
May 27th, 2007 at 4:36 am
I have not had problems AT ALL while using the Colgate Total but the slime appeared the minute I switched to Crest ProHealth. I stopped a while back because of the slime but I decided to give it a try again in the last couple of days because the ProHealth supposedly helps with the sensitive teeth issue. In fact, I just pulled out about 3 strands of slime from my mouth. Gross ….
May 27th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
I was searching out the dangers of mouthwash and came across this blog. I once used listerine instead of mints for “smokers breath” and ended up with blisters covering the inside of my mouth.
I think the silica or something in the gel may be the problem. I’ve been using my own homemade brand of tooth paste, hydrogen peroxide and baking soda for weeks now. No mouth buggers.
May 27th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
Greg,
I have a question, do you know why my epithealial peels when I use crest pro-health rinse and my husbands doesn’t? It doesn’t make any sense why it would only happen to me and not him.
May 28th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Carie,
Not quite sure, but everyone is a bit different; Your husband’s mouth may be less sensitive than yours, or perhaps his brushing style doesn’t expose the cells to as much irritation.
May 29th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Had the same symptoms but now I have what appears to be oral thrush on the roof of my mouth. Decided to google this and I saw sites relating oral thrush to the over use of Listerine. Now on the second bottle with a week break from the first, this thrush like spot on the back of my throat has appeared. After about 2 days of use with the sloughing of skin also present. Didn’t use it this morning and the spot feels slightly better and no sloughing of skin. Has anyone else had the thrush like appearance on the back of the throat after any of these rinses?
May 29th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Hi All,
I have the same white sticky subastance that you all were complaining about. My dentist told me to switch to non tarter control toothpaste..I was using crest pro healtha dn Colgate total .., so I switched to colgate anticavity whch does not have any whitening products..I use normal listerine advanced mouthwash(not the the whitening one).. It has been 2 days since I switched and I am still getting the ehite substance..though in very small quantity comard to what i was getting when I used crest pro health. Any suggestions any one as to ehat toothpaste I shud use ..or is there something else wrong with me than just tootthpaste ?
May 29th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Rao,
I actually use Colgate Total Whitening and I don’t have any mouth boogers. I only had them when I was using the Listerine Pre-Rinse. I think ever person’s mouth is slightly more or less delicate than others… what works fine for some, may cause a mouthful of boogers for another. Yours is the first case I’ve heard of where tartar control toothpastes are to blame for the mouth boogers. Check the comments above, many people have listed what works for them.
May 29th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
I finally had the guts to tell my dentest and the hygienst about these mouth buggers (I hate that word). The look on their face was of disgust. They said we have never of heard of that before. He said, “I tell a lot of my patients to use that because it doesnt burn like the other products.” They even acted different to me after that. I wish I would have kept it to myself. Thanks to all of you for being so honest. Maybe other patients will come forward and confirm what I’ve told him.
May 29th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Dave, and all who are here… Get some action by doing something. I have gone to the Listerine Whitening Pre Brush web site and found their Customer Care number. I am in Canada so they had to transfer me to the Canadian Customer Care. So, either way, call and tell them you issues. They offered me a coupon for any Johnston & Johnston product. That is worth more than the price of the Listerine product. The other choice was to get a cheque to re-imburse me for the cost of the rinse. I too had the mouth invaders of slime as well as a sore tongue, like I chugged a mug of steaming coffee. The customer care folks were very (fake) concerned, but I got some cool coupons out of it and will not use or buy it ever again. This should really let the manufacturer know the problems. We Can Make a Difference. Let’s Rid the World of Mouth Scum. Yay for yellowing teeth. Ewww.
May 29th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
I’ve gotten the mouth boogers before with another toothpaste. I’m using Crest pro-health, and have definitely decided that it is in fact the peroxide/baking soda combo causing this. At first I was really grossed out, but then thought that if it’s getting that crap out of my mouth that’s good thing. Also, found that rinsing really well with water after brushing helps. I’d like to know if this is harmful though. It doesn’t seem to be but of course we won’t hear about that for another 5-10 years. Right now I’m looking at it as an exfoliation for my mouth. My mouth is dried out though too. The benefit of that is that I drink more water. I don’t know. I think after this tube is gone, I’ll be switching back to my regular sensitive toothpaste, Aquafresh Sensitive. But I’m glad to hear it’s not just me. I’ve been so embarrassed about it I didn’t even tell my husband. But then when I started rinsing more after, it decreased and now it’s not so bad.
May 30th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
I got this each time When I used the Listerine mouthwash.
I will check on this with my Dentist and post the results and recommendations from him in coming weeks.
Thanks,
LOKI
May 31st, 2007 at 11:26 am
Been two days since I had stopped using the Listering Whitening Pre-Brush rinse. My tongue is feeling much better, but now I feel like I have canker sores on it. Small whitish dots on my tonue that feel like I bit it. They are going away too. Please Please Please people, contact Listerine as the number is on the bottle and complain. This product shouldn’t be on the open market. Obviously they didn’t do enough market research and testing.
June 1st, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I just checked my reciepts. I bought the Listerine at Costco. I am brining it back tonight. I know I will have no problem returning it. Everyone else should do the same.
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 am
After I started using the toothpaste, a month or two later I quit getting the loose skin in my mouth. During those couple of months I rinsed my mouth better to keep from getting a bad case of these mouth boogers. Maybe the loose skin was filled with some nasty bacteria or something that the product was killing off??? It doesn’t happen anymore…maybe like once a every three weeks will it come back and go away
June 2nd, 2007 at 11:23 am
Oh yeah the toothpaste was crest pro-health. Forgot that important piece of information..hehe
June 5th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Hi everyone,
I went to the dentist last week, I told them about my problem with the skin sloffing off the inside of my mouth. They said they spend most of their day discussing products with people. There are so many people with this problem. They said not to use any product for whitening or tarter control. They said to use biotine products. They are pricey but I have been using the toothpaste and mouthwash for over a week and I have no problems.
June 6th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Hey ya all,
I told you it was from a STD!!
June 7th, 2007 at 10:33 am
After several days of feeling these mouth boogers I had to do a search because I thought I might have some mouth disease or thrush. I too use the Pro-Health products. Mine are never yellow or brownish. Always very white. Maybe the yellow or brownish slimers are one’s that have been in the mouth longer and have come in contact with food and bacteria. Since experiencing these I tend to immediately scrap my mouth of the boogers shortly after using the Pro-Health. After seeing that there are several people with this same issue, I will be switching to a biotine product.
June 7th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Finding this blog site was intriguing. The number of people suffering from the same or similar problem is incredible. I too have been experiencing the same symptoms, but I’ve been using Mentodent and Listerine for years (not listed anywhere in the above blogs). My dentist suggested I’ve developed an allergic reaction to the toothpaste and rinse. Thanks to this site, I will be trying Aquafresh. But there is a bigger issue here. The makers of these products seem to have decided that profits are more important than truth, profits are more important than full disclosure, profits are more important than our health. Sound familiar (tobacco companies)?
No - I am not a lawyer. I’m in the ad business, but it’s incredible to me that a lawyer hasn’t simply jumped all over this class action suit waiting to happen. I hope the makers of these products are reading this blog and take action well before we the public do!
However, I encourage all of you to follow-up with your health care professional (as scary as it is) just to be sure your problem is the same as the rest. I chewed tobacco for many years and quit a while back. I thought for sure I quit too late. Lucky me - it seems to be my choice of oral cleansers that ruins my day. Thanks for the site.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Tracy
Who are you? I think you have a few screws loose. Why dont you go find another blog where you belong. You sound ignorant and clueless.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Tracy, it’s evident that you have an obsession with oral STD’s. Go see your family practioner to get it cleared up hun. What we are talking about has nothing to do with an STD. It’s evident school is out for summer. Sheesh!
June 7th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
I have been experiencing the same slimy feeling in my mouth for over 2 years. It is constant all day long. It all started when I had peridontal surgery to correct a dentist mistake after having my front teeth recrowned. When I went back to the peridontist after getting the stitches out and told him a thick slimy substance was constantly in my mouth especially behind the front teeth. He more or less laughed at me and said there was no way it could be coming from this area.I have been to 10 doctors since..some of the best. None of them have been able to help me. I have to wear a mouth piece over my front four teeth(similar to a bleaching tray) to help me deal with this problem. I do know that using any toothpaste with sodium laryl sulfate aggravate this problem. Biotene products do no have this ingredient in them. I use Biotene but the sliminess is still constant. I am now seeing a new dentist who is going to replace the crowns and try to cover up all spaces to see if this corrects the problem.I sympathize with all of you. Mine is constant and would drive me crazy without the mouthpiece.
June 8th, 2007 at 8:41 am
Hi ya all it’s me tracy from raleigh north carolina!!
June 12th, 2007 at 4:36 am
Wow…I thought I had leprosy or a case of terminal mouth slime until I found this site…guess I have to give up the whitening toothpaste. I’m sure I’ve looked like a retard, rolling my tongue around in my mouth, trying to suck the crap off my cheeks when I thought no one was looking (no offense intended, I like retards). I’m going to have my teeth whitened and go back to regular toothpaste — gooey mouth grunge just isn’t worth it…but I am glad to know I’m not fatally ill!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
I have the same problem and have come to believe the culprit is the Listerine whitening pre-wash. I think the severity of this problem is related to how often you use it? I only use it every so often in the morning - when I can remember - I haven’t had any raw spots, pain, etc. just peeling of the skin.
Unfortunately I just bought a travel tube of Crest pro-health for an upcoming trip…guess I’ll have to pick another brand up now!
HA! As i’m writing this there is an ad on the tv for crest pro-health!
I also wonder if it’s bad or not, I tend to agree with Greg that as long as there’s no pain it may actually be healthy with cell turnover and such…I may stop using these products mainly because it’s a nuisance and gross.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Excellent information buddies ! I am not alone in the dark Cave !
I have the same problem and started thinking something else.
Will change Tooth Paste and mouth wash.
Request you to please list best toothpaste and mouth washe which really worked well
Thanks
KanaNana
June 12th, 2007 at 11:04 pm
WOW….just happen to come across this trying to find out why I’ve got this slime in my mouth. Also the entire mouth seems to have this slight burning or irritated feel to it.
Checked my toothpaste and my wife just changed it a couple of weeks ago to some kinda whitening shit with baking soda and peroxide….hmmm I think I know what the problem is now.
So off to the drug store to find some OLD FASHION toothpast….if that’s even possible now. Thanks all!!
June 13th, 2007 at 11:30 am
A CURE!!! Went to the drug store and purchased some old fashion CREST toothpaste and plain old fowl tasting LISTERINE original.
Used it last night….problem gone today!!!
June 14th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
VANISHED !
I used Aquafresh normal tooth paste and no problems ! Had this problem since 2 years and even Dentists did not know about this. We have all stupid medical insurance System/facility in our country.
I believe FDA/ADA guys are eating peanuts. Why can’t these guys control these kind of products ?????????
KanaNana
June 14th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
VANISHED !
I used Aquafresh normal tooth paste and no problems ! Had this problem since 2 years and even Dentists did not know about this. We have all stupid medical insurance System/facility in our country.
I believe FDA/ADA guys are eating peanuts. Why can’t these guys control these kind of products ???????????????????
KanaNana
June 14th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Glad to see i’m not the only one with mouth boogers. I use regular green Listerine and Colgate w/ Whitening. I found some Crest that doesn’t mention whitening, hopefully no more boogers in the morning.
June 15th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Yes, it is embarassing to ask! I finally got the courage to look it up in the internet, and what’s the common denominator? Whitening products! It’s really weird when you start having it, that eerie feeling that something’s inside your mouth but you don’t want to poke inside because you’re out with your friends or co-workers? Yuck! Anywho, I know it’s MY dead cells, but still…ew. Anyway, I’m switching back to my old toothpaste, Extreme Aquafresh (or something). That one never gave me the stringy mouth booger, whatever you may call it. FYI, am using both Crest products right now…the whitening kind. I think we need to contact Crest on this…
June 15th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
One more thing…at one point, one night, I had so much that it clogged the entrance to my throat that I choked briefly when I was asleep, so I got up immediately and made that horrible regurgitating sound (gross) to force the “foreign object” out, and guess what…it’s the stringy booger! Ew.
June 16th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Wow, after putting up with these “Mouth Boogers” for almost a year I never thought that they could be related to my toothpast - Crest Pro-Health. Although I have never used the pre-rinse I do use the toothpaste and when I think back it does seem that they are worse right after I brush. This is great to know, I thought that I had some horrible disease! With so many people experiencing this type of side effect with the toothpaste and other products why doesn’t Crest put some type of warning label on their products? Well as for me I am changing my toothpast immediately!
By the way - some of the posters are mentioning little pebbles in the back of their throats - I also experience that and after speaking with my doctor she explained that it is most likely nasal drip accumulating at the back of your throat and there is nothing you can do about it! Gross huh?
June 16th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Hey, I’m really happy to have found this blog. I’m glad I’m not alone in reference to the Crest Pro-Health users that have this same problem. Just for reference, I have used Listerine Advanced, Tom’s of Maine products, and Arm and Hammer toothpaste, without the “mouth slime,” so I’ll be going back to using these products.
Thanks again!
June 16th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Hey, I’m really happy to have found this blog. I’m glad I’m not alone in reference to the Crest Pro-Health users that have this same problem. Just for random information, I have used Listerine Advanced, Tom’s of Maine products, and Arm and Hammer toothpaste, without the “mouth slime,” so I’ll be going back to using these products.
Thanks again!
June 18th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Oh I am so relieved. Thank you all for getting this information out there. I thought I had some horrible health condition and that these slimy strings were a symptom. Bye-bye Listerine Whitening Pre-rinse.
June 19th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
I get the same things sometimes! I used to get them more frequently than I do now. I have found that they do come in connection w/ changes in oral care routine. I get them between my lower gum & lip and also from the cheeks. THEY ARE SO SATISFYING TO PULL OUT.
June 20th, 2007 at 12:58 am
OMG,
I thought i was ill or something, Only had it happen today, 2 days after i have just started using the listerine whitening mouth wash.
It is horrid, making me feel sooo sick !! that nasty sticky shit in mouth!! oooohhh!
Thanks for highlighting this problem Im going to make a complaint, please make sure you all do.
June 21st, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Thank goodness I am not the only one experiencing mouth-boogers. I thought that I was alone in my suffering! I feared that I could have thrush but a Google image search assured me that I most assuredly did not. In my case I believe it is the Crest Pro Health Cinnamon toothpaste that I recently bought :/ I think that I’ll toss the remains and start using Tom’s of Maine…
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Yay! It’s not just me!! Thank you to David and everyone who’s provided helpful ideas and suggestions. Good luck to everyone. I’m sending an e-mail about this to my family members.
I bought the Crest Pro-Health products at CostCo. My husband works there, and he’s told me that the will accept the return of a product indefinitely, as long as you still have the receipt. (Althought they have caught on to the few people who buy a computer and then keep returning it every year for a “free upgrade.”
KittyMommy
June 23rd, 2007 at 9:28 am
P&G hopes rinse effect won’t wash away sales
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/04/09/story3.html
In an ironic twist, Procter & Gamble Co. has spent more than 10 years developing a dental product that sometimes proves how well it works by leaving an occasional stain.
But it is a twist Procter should not want to escape. The company’s Crest Pro-Health Rinse, launched with much promise in April 2005, is discoloring the teeth of about 3 percent of its users, the company said, because it is doing its job. The rinse literally ruptures germs, leaving their yucky residue on teeth. If not fully brushed or rinsed away, those bacterial remnants build up between teeth and along the gums, eventually to carry the tannins of coffee, wine and other discolorants.
One source described Pro-Health as a “weapon of mass destruction” for the mouth. But others complain the company should warn consumers about the chance of staining, even if it poses no health risks…
June 23rd, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Hey! Wow Im so glad Im not the only one. I was so freaked I thought I was going to die or something. I think I am going to complain to the listerene company.
June 26th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
wow. I thought I was alone. It seems to accelerate receding my gum tissue. Anyone notice that? The question becomes where does this dead tissue comes from? The cheek tissue or the gum tissue?
June 26th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Its funny that you mentioned the gum recession because it seems like it may have affected my gum tissue also. Wouldnt that be great you try to save your teeth and in the mean time you ruin your gums. My mom tried the rinse to see what I was talking about and of course nothing happened so she probably thinks I am abnormal. Just think of all the people who havent yet found this blog and think they are sick or something but to embarressed to ask anyone about it.
June 27th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
They’re bits of your cheek and mouth lining that are shed off. Certain things can cause the lining to shed faster than natural, and you can get chunks or strings of it like that.
Want something reall