Today at Walmart Larry couldn't decided what mouth wash to buy so being that I am in the dental field he turned to me for my opinion. I suggested that he just buy the Equate brand of Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash. He questioned what the difference was in the tarter control vs the regular antiseptic mouthwash. So I start to get on my soap box about my disgust with advertising companies persuading consumers and consumers buying into it. In the end, after I gave Larry a headache, he went with what I suggested. So now that you're already reading this post allow me to tell you all about my opinion. If you don't care to know then may I kindly suggest you exit my blog now.
We all know that advertisements are all geared to specific audiences. I understand that these companies have to make a profit. However, like most of the world Larry and I don't have a ton of money to just shell out buying whatever these companies toss at us through radio, tv or however else. So we cut corners by doing things like buying off brands. A friend of mine insists that off brands are not as good as the name brands so my friend only buys all name brand products. To each their own I guess.
In my opinion...
Food Products:
Not ALL off brand food products taste as good as the name brand...so Larry (I am thankful that he does all of the grocery shopping and not me.) only buys name brand in those few particular products.
Cleaning Products:
I make most of my own cleaning products, however, there are certain ones that I will not skimp on. Such as shower/tile cleaner. I prefer to buy Scrubbing Bubbles or Lysol Bathroom Cleaner. My home made product doesn't work as well as the store bought products do in cutting soap scum. Plus, every time I bought the off brand of Scrubbing Bubbles or Lysol the spray nozzle ends up giving out on me half way through the bottle. As a result, I only buy the Scrubbing Bubbles name brand anymore.
My BIGGEST pet peeve with advertising is dental products.
Mouthwash and Toothpaste:
Technically, people don't even need to use toothpaste. Toothpaste isn't what cleans our teeth. It's the act of brushing our teeth that cleans our teeth and even though you are scrubbing your teeth with a toothbrush doesn't necessarily mean that you are properly cleaning them. There is an art to teeth brushing. The only thing the toothpaste does is act as an abrasive to remove some stain and freshen your breath. So I don't see the point in spending a lot on toothpaste. I buy Aim toothpaste for $0.95. As for mouthwash, according to dental literature I have read over my 11 yrs so far as a dental assistant, I understand that Listerine is the best brand of mouthwash to use for it's antiseptic benefits. However, if you compare the active ingredients on the name brand to the off brand you will see that they are typically the same. I have also seen mouthwashes that claim to take the place of flossing. What a joke!! As far as the "whitening" and "tarter control" mouthwashes...I am not sold on those either. I do not see how a "whitening" mouthwash is going to actually "whiten" teeth within a quick 30 second to 1 minute swish and rinse. I also do not see how a "tarter control" mouthwash is going to help control tarter build up on teeth. If you want to have fairly white teeth that are free of plaque and tarter then the most important thing you need to do is brush properly at least twice a day and floss properly at least once a day. It's as simple as that people! There isn't any miracle rinses or toothpastes.
P.S. I am done now.
P.P.S. If you have made it this far into my post then I thank you for listening to me on my soap box!!
We all know that advertisements are all geared to specific audiences. I understand that these companies have to make a profit. However, like most of the world Larry and I don't have a ton of money to just shell out buying whatever these companies toss at us through radio, tv or however else. So we cut corners by doing things like buying off brands. A friend of mine insists that off brands are not as good as the name brands so my friend only buys all name brand products. To each their own I guess.
In my opinion...
Food Products:
Not ALL off brand food products taste as good as the name brand...so Larry (I am thankful that he does all of the grocery shopping and not me.) only buys name brand in those few particular products.
Cleaning Products:
I make most of my own cleaning products, however, there are certain ones that I will not skimp on. Such as shower/tile cleaner. I prefer to buy Scrubbing Bubbles or Lysol Bathroom Cleaner. My home made product doesn't work as well as the store bought products do in cutting soap scum. Plus, every time I bought the off brand of Scrubbing Bubbles or Lysol the spray nozzle ends up giving out on me half way through the bottle. As a result, I only buy the Scrubbing Bubbles name brand anymore.
My BIGGEST pet peeve with advertising is dental products.
Mouthwash and Toothpaste:
Technically, people don't even need to use toothpaste. Toothpaste isn't what cleans our teeth. It's the act of brushing our teeth that cleans our teeth and even though you are scrubbing your teeth with a toothbrush doesn't necessarily mean that you are properly cleaning them. There is an art to teeth brushing. The only thing the toothpaste does is act as an abrasive to remove some stain and freshen your breath. So I don't see the point in spending a lot on toothpaste. I buy Aim toothpaste for $0.95. As for mouthwash, according to dental literature I have read over my 11 yrs so far as a dental assistant, I understand that Listerine is the best brand of mouthwash to use for it's antiseptic benefits. However, if you compare the active ingredients on the name brand to the off brand you will see that they are typically the same. I have also seen mouthwashes that claim to take the place of flossing. What a joke!! As far as the "whitening" and "tarter control" mouthwashes...I am not sold on those either. I do not see how a "whitening" mouthwash is going to actually "whiten" teeth within a quick 30 second to 1 minute swish and rinse. I also do not see how a "tarter control" mouthwash is going to help control tarter build up on teeth. If you want to have fairly white teeth that are free of plaque and tarter then the most important thing you need to do is brush properly at least twice a day and floss properly at least once a day. It's as simple as that people! There isn't any miracle rinses or toothpastes.
P.S. I am done now.
P.P.S. If you have made it this far into my post then I thank you for listening to me on my soap box!!
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