I must say the concept behind this product is both horrifying and cool at the same time. The kids brush, then they use Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse, then they look in the mirror to see how they did. I must say the first time my kids did this, I was SHOCKED to see the evidence of poor brushing. But then I realized how awesome this was to give my kids the opportunity to see where they need to work harder to stay. When they looked in the mirror the first thing they wanted to do was pick up the tooth brush and try again to get the "bad parts". Each day after that, they looked forward to brushing together to compare how they each did. I hate to say it, but Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse has turned teeth brushing into a competition for my children, and I couldn't be happier. Although the concept may seem gross to highlight the germs, at the same time it is such a great experience for new independent tooth brushers.

plj1088

USA

My six year old has notoriously terrible breath. I make him brush his teeth at least twice and usually three times a day but it never seems to improve. My boyfriend suggested that we get him some mouthwash and I was hesitant to do so because I was worried he wouldn't like how it tasted and it would be a battle to get him to use it. Still, something needed to be done so we went and got him some of this. To my surprise he really liked the mint flavor, he thought it tasted like gum so it obviously isn't overpowering. I was a little disappointed because I thought this was the mouthwash that shows kids where they missed, but there was never anything left behind on his teeth after brushing so either he did an amazing job or that feature didn't really work. The improvement in his breath is downright impressive. It stays fresh for close to 10 hours after he uses it, which makes it the perfect thing to do twice a day.

okaykayla88

USA

I have two kids. Both my kids have had cavities in the past. I have one that is a terrible brusher and another that likes lollipops far more than I think she should. This is a great product to ensure that they get the floride they need for good tooth health. They brush their teeth using their regular toothpaste and then follow by swishing this for 1 minute. Then they spit. This puts a layer of enamel strengthening floride on their teeth (don't eat /drink for 30 minutes afterward).plus it shows the gunk that they missed when they didn't brush well. Sometimes I make my son repeat brushing and rinsing because too much gunk was in the sink and he needs to brush better. I can report that we have not had a single cavity since using this. Our dentist reccomends it to his patients and the kids like that it also comes in a berry flavor,too.

colemamma

Coraopolis, PA

I have various feelings with regard to the Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse mouthwash. Firstly, I think I bought it without reading carefully what the product is intended to actually DO. I bought it at like 5 in the morning, so I just thought "Oh! Mouthwash! Okay!" And while it IS mouthwash, it's actually more of a flouride rinse, meant for AFTER brushing your teeth. I'm kind of funny when it comes to mouthwashes - I don't like it to be too strong (the ones that contain a lot of alcohol tend to just BURN my gums!), but I also don't like it to be weak sauce either. This one tends to fit in the latter category. If you're looking for a "minty clean feeling" sort of mouthwash then I'd give this one about a 7. It's important to note that this is a FLOURIDE RINSE. One thing that IS cool about it is: 1. How you have to squeeze the bottle to fill up the little 10 mL line in the nozzle (that's fun for kids and tweens/teens), and 2. When you spit it out, it claims that all the little green gunky bits that show up in your sink are the germs that were still left over in your mouth even AFTER brushing - so it makes me feel good to know that this flouride rinse supposedly got that out :)

meh2030

Idaho Falls, ID

This is supposedly for kids but I use it as an adult. My dentist suggested using some fluoride rinses for my teeth for some teeth sensitivity that I was having. It didn't help the sensitivity but oh well. The green color is a bit weird. I would like to see a lighter green something like a mouthwash looks but then again the dark green is supposed to stain the residue areas left behind from brushing so that you can get them out. I find that it does not stain any areas in my mouth, so either I'm brushing really well or it doesn't do a good job staining. The taste is semi-minty. Not overpouring. It does have a weirdish mintish aftertaste but it's not the best tasting. Getting the fluid out of the bottle was a real struggle the first time I got the bottle. You have to take the lid off, squeeze the bottle, and the liquid comes up into the the area where the cap screws on through a tube and then just stays there for you to either pour directly into your mouth or pour into a cup. If you turn the bottle upside down the fluid does not come out (before you squeeze it) which I think is meant to be child or spill proof, but all they have to do is squeeze the bottle. The bad thing is if you squeeze too much you can't get the excess back in the bottle... Not a very smart design.

Sonkissed2006

Columbus, OH

My kids don't mind brushing their teeth, but if I am not around to remind them, it often gets missed. I have bought a few different kinds of mouth rinse for her (she is six), but this is the favorite so far. I think she really likes the flavor, and it is easy for her to dispense just enough. Some bottles are difficult for smaller hands to squeeze the right amount into the neck for each use, but this one is much better. The bottle is cute enough to leave out on the counter, and when she sees it, she often stops to brush even if it is the middle of the day. So far she has not had any cavities (she also has good genes which helps), and her dentist is pleased with how clean she is keeping her teeth. I did not grow up using mouthwash (my parents don't use it), so it is kind of a new concept for me. But anything to build good hygiene habits, I say! I did have to work for a while to teach her how to use it -- and not to swallow any of it, because it does have flouride. For that reason I don't let my little guy (2 years old) use it yet, but he is starting to brush his own teeth, so it won't be long!

BiZMama

Omaha, NE

My spouse bought this mouthwash (the Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse) the other week or so because it was on sale and we were running low on ours. We've been using it and we both feel the same way - it works well and it gets the job done! We love Listerine - I personally prefer the Listerine mouthwashes that have alcohol in them because I like feeling like every single little germ in my mouth is good and DEAD! Whereas my spouse prefers mouthwashes more like the Listerine Smart Rinse because of its LACK of alcohol and the ensuing burning sensation. We think it's pretty cool how each flavor in the Smart Rinse family (I think there are liked 3 flavors) has a different specific attribute. For example, our Mint Shield flavor says that after you rinse for 60 seconds, once you spit out, you'll see tiny little globs of stuff in the sink and apparently those are the residual "germs" still left in your mouth. I'm not sure how true that all is, but it's pretty cool nonetheless. We have no complaints with this Smart Rinse stuff - to us, mouthwash is mouthwash.

MattysDad

Provo, UT

My son was a cash cow for the dentist.  Every time we went in, it was talks of fillings and crowns -- and he was only 4!  The dentist gave us fluoride to do at home, but when we went in the next month, there was the start of another filling. For us, we decided to start using the Smart Shield and be able to physically SEE what we were missing.  We've been faithfully using the Smart Shield with our older son (now 7) and he hasn't gotten any new cavities and we use it on our 4 year old and he is cavity-free. For our family, this is a necessary part of our dental hygiene for our kids.  The cost is significantly cheaper for a year, than a single filling and has saved our family money.  You can often find coupons in the newspaper to save even more on the mouthwash. For us, it has made the difference in the oral hygiene of our sons and we appreciate having a resource on our side to save our kids teeth and not have to pay for fillings and caps and whatever else they'd need otherwise!

ktharg2

Northwest Arkansas, AR

I have used other Listerine products before but wanted to give the Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse a try.  It has a very mild taste, presumably because it is meant for children but it is nice that there is no burning or stinging feeling when rinsing.  It also has a very handy dispenser so that it is easy to always get the exact right amount and can be poured without worry about spilling the rest of the bottle.  The best part about Listerine Mint Shield Smart Rinse is that it automatically colors with a darker color the food pieces and or plaque that is found in your mouth when you rinse and spit so that you really feel like your teeth are getting cleaned.  It is also nice that it has cavity protection as well especially with all the sugars we eat nowadays and are always trying to protect our teeth and enamal from breakdown.  I recommend this product to adults and kids alike to try and use. 

hello429

Salem, NH

***Quick View:*** A friend of mine with younger kids mentioned to me that they use **Listerine Smart Rinse **after brushing their teeth to get rid of residue, bacteria, and missed food as well as freshen their breath. I admit, I was interested enough to buy some. FOR MYSELF! I always wanted those red pills that showed where I missed when brushing my teeth but never did find them so I'm like a big kid. I wanted to see what this stuff would show me. It showed me I need to brush better, longer. Yuck. ***My Take on Listerine Smart Rinse Mint Shield*** There are two flavors: Berry and Mint. I chose mint because I imagined the berry having a sicky sweet fake berry taste. I didn't expect the Mint flavor to be too strong - and it isn't - but it's fresh and leaves my breath sweet. But I didn't buy this to use a mouthwash. Oh no. I wanted to see what i was missing when I brushed my teeth. You see, this rinse loosens bacteria, food particles, and other junk left behind and it colors it so when you rinse and spit, you see everything you missed in small chunks. Gross. So gross. But that's the beauty of** Listerine Smart Rinse Mint Shield.** Obviously made for kids (6 years and up), this rinse shows them exactly what they left behind after brushing. After seeing the junk in the sink, most kids (and adults) will be more mindful to brush better, longer. My goal is NO "junk" after rinsing. Yeah, I sound like a kid but they didn't have cool stuff like this when I was a kid so I am trying it now! The mint flavor is very sweet - too sweet for my liking but probably not for a kid's. It does have mild mint flavor but surely isn't strong like adult mouthwash. Using the rinse is simple. Brush your teeth and rinse. Then swish a half of a capful of the rinse for 30 seconds to a minute. Spit it out and see all the little green bits and chunks that somehow were stuck in and between your teeth. Not only does that sight really make you kick your teeth brushing up a notch, the rinse helps reduce bacteria, ward off cavities, and freshen breath. I actually made my gonna be 19 year old tomorrow son try it and he liked it! He thought it was gross and cool at the same time. He won't regular user of the product, I'm sure, but at least it's not just me who thinks this rinse isn't JUST for kids! But if you do have have kids ages 6 and up, I highly recommend that you give this rinse a try. They will enjoy the taste and they will be grossed out and fascinated by all the stuff that would have otherwise been stuck in their teeth had they not rinsed. They'll probably brush longer and better trying (as I am) to get a clean result the next time they use the rinse! ***My Viewpoint*** Yes, I'm a kid at heart but I can say that **Listerine Smart Rinse Mint Shield **is pretty darn effective for adults as well as kids. My mouth feels very clean and my teeth look polished when I use this rinse. I won't be using it all the time but it's fun to check my brushing habits and see if I'm slacking. I think most kids would willingly use this rinse and it could really help them in their quest for good oral hygiene. I give it 5 stars. What's not to love?

PattyTherre

The heart of , NY