Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash Can Cause Teeth Discoloration. Attention Crest Pro-Health mouthwash users: Have you noticed brown stains and other unsightly discolorations on your teeth? You should know that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash could be to blame. Since it hit the market in 2005, scores of consumers have complained that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash left stains on their teeth. Many […]
Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash Can Cause Teeth Discoloration. Attention Crest Pro-Health mouthwash users: Have you noticed brown stains and other unsightly discolorations on your teeth? You should know that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash could be to blame.
Since it hit the market in 2005, scores of consumers have complained that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash left stains on their teeth. Many Crest Pro-Health mouthwash users have incurred expensive dental bills whitening and repairing their teeth. Even with such treatment, it is not always possible to restore teeth to their original condition.
Procter & Gamble has known for some time that Crest Pro-Health mouthwash could cause teeth staining – the company even claims that this ugly discoloration is actually a sign that the rinse “working”. Yet nothing on the label warns users that this could occur.
If your teeth were stained from Crest Pro-Health mouthwash, you may be entitled to compensation. Our Crest Pro-Health mouthwash lawyers are investigating a potential class action lawsuit against Procter & Gamble. If you or someone you love had your smile ruined by Crest Pro-Health, we urge you to contact us today.
Procter & Gamble launched Crest Pro-Health in 2005, after it had spent over 10 years developing the rinse. Unlike other mouthwash products, Crest Pro-Health has no alcohol, something that would appeal to certain consumers – including pregnant women, the elderly, and diabetics – who should not use alcohol-based products.
The absence of alcohol has made Crest Pro-Health mouthwash very popular. According to Information Resources Inc., Crest Pro-Health became the third top-selling rinse in 2006, outpacing Advanced Listerine and Scope. In 2006, sales of Crest Pro-Health rose more than 46 percent to $56 million. By 2008, 52 million bottles of Crest Pro-Health Rinse had been sold.
Unfortunately, some people who used Crest Pro-Health were soon shocked at what they saw in the mirror – ugly brown stains on their teeth. In most cases, no amount of flossing or teeth brushing removed the Crest Pro-Health stains. Many victims reported that they were forced to undergo expensive dental treatments to regain their smile. In some cases, even that was not enough.
Consumer Web sites are full of first-hand accounts of teeth staining that occurred following the use of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash. This testimony, from an Amazon.com review, is typical:
“This garbage put dingy yellow and brown stains on my teeth, especially near the gums. A dental cleaning failed to get them off. If I had known this mouthwash could cause stains, I would never have used it in the first place.”
Procter & Gamble likely wasn’t surprised by reports of teeth staining linked to Crest Pro-Health. For one thing, Crest Pro-Health contains cetylpyridinium chloride, a chemical which is known to cause tooth discoloration. According to a 2008 report in the Cincinnati Business Courier, Procter & Gamble and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) knew about the staining issue since the rinse was in development.
In the same article, Business Courier reported that Procter & Gamble itself said that 3 percent of all Crest Pro-Health users will experience such staining. Yet there are no warnings on the Crest Pro-Health mouthwash label regarding tooth staining. According to the Business Courier, the FDA does not require a warning label because the stains are not considered harmful.
According to the Business Courier, Procter & Gamble claims that the stains are proof that Crest Pro-Health is working. As for the lack of warnings, a Procter & Gamble spokesperson told the Business Courier that the health benefits provided by Crest Pro-Health “outweigh a very small percentage of the population who would be affected by it.”
Procter & Gamble can use whatever rationale it wants to explain its failure to warn Crest Pro-Health mouthwash users about the staining associated with the rinse. The fact remains that consumers should have been made aware of this potential side effect.
The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
