Listerine Whitening mouthwashes are now a regular part of many households.
But if you’re worried about the chemicals in some of the brands, you may want to rethink what you’re buying.
Listerine, which is used in Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes headaches, fever, and other health problems, is often sold in mouthwash containers that don’t list the ingredients.
The brand has been linked to over a dozen cases of Listeriosis in the U.S.
The FDA’s Listerinia monocytic epsilon strain, which causes Listeriasis, is found in the mouthwash and other products.
When we tested Crest whitening products at our labs, we found the brand did not list any of the Listerina monocyti strains in its packaging.
The company told us it has recently begun testing its products and has removed the strains from all of its products.
Listerin also was removed from the labels of Crest whiteners.
“While we do not have information to date that Listerines is linked to Listeritis outbreaks, we are working to remove the L. monocytellis strains from our products,” the company said in a statement to Consumerist.
“We will continue to work with the FDA and our distributors to ensure that all Listerini products comply with the safest and most effective practices.”