Best Total Care Mouthwash (Full Review)

Dentist Tested and Reviewed

Walking down the dental aisle can be overwhelming with many product options.

They offer mouthwashes for whitening, gum care, sensitivity, anti-plaque, and dry mouth.

What happens if you want all the benefits?

Thankfully, oral care companies offer a total care mouthwash that provides multi-level protection against germs.

As an experienced dentist with years of experience, I’ve tested and evaluated 300+ dental products. I strive to find the best products for achieving excellent oral hygiene, so let’s take a closer look at the Best Total Care Mouthwash from a dentist’s perspective.

Let’s take a closer look at the Top 5 Best Total Care Mouthwash from a dentist’s perspective.

Buying Guide

1. Best Overall: Colgate Total 12-Hour Mouthwash
2. Best Gum Care: Crest Pro-Health Oral Rinse
3. Best Sensitivity: ACT Total Care Sensitive Mouthwash
4. Best Breath: Listerine Ultraclean Antiseptic Mouthwash
5. Best Anticavity: Listerine Total Care Mouthwash

Evaluation Criteria

I (Dr. Hannan) tested each product for 7-14 days, detailing its pros and cons, and rated it from 1 to 5 in four key areas.

• Effectiveness: Does the mouthwash treat the advertised need? How effective were the results?
• Comfort: Are you able to swish for recommended time? Did it sting or burn? How did the mouth feel afterwards?
• Taste: How was the overall taste? Was it tolerable? Did it alter your sense of taste?
• Directions: Were the directions clear and simple to understand? Are they desiring unrealistic expectations?

Related Reviews

• Best Sensitive Gums Mouthwash Review 2024
• Best Dry Mouth Oral Rinse Review 2024
• Best Gum Care Toothpaste Review 2024
• Best Electric Toothbrush Under $50 + PROMO Code

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1. Best Overall | Colgate Total 12-Hour Mouthwash

Pros

Colgate Total 12-Hour is a tremendous all-around mouthwash. It was effective and provided multiple added benefits.

It’s alcohol-free, so no burning or tingling was observed, and the refreshing peppermint flavor was enjoyable. Also, it had a cooling effect upon rinsing that lasted longer than competitors.

Cons

Slight dryness was observed that seemed to subside quickly.

Best for patients that desire multiple benefits with non-burning benefits.

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2. Best Gum Care | Crest Pro-Health Oral Rinse

Pros

Crest Pro-Health is very flavorful, and the Clean Mint freshens breath for hours. It’s comfortable to swish with minimal tingling.

The mouthwash was effective and provided a cooling relief and no bitterness upon rinsing.

Cons

Mouth dryness was observed after rinsing, most likely due to cetylpyridinium chloride that fights off gingivitis and plaque.

Also, the flavor was potent, so it may be too much for those seeking less taste.

Best for patients that desire gum care and a powerful mint flavor.

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3. Best Sensitivity | ACT Total Care Sensitive Mouthwash

Pros

ACT Total Care Sensitive is effective and offers an intense mint freshness. The freshness lasted for hours, and it was comfortable to swish.

It’s alcohol-free, so no burning was noted, making this an enjoyable mouthwash.

Cons

We noted a slightly altered aftertaste, most likely due to sodium fluoride, which is an acceptable trade-off.

Best for patients with sensitive gums and who desire a strong mint flavor.

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4. Best Breath | Listerine Ultraclean Antiseptic Mouthwash

Pros

This mouthwash is exceptionally flavorful and refreshing. It’s effective and offers a cooling effect after rinsing.

As a result, this product provided the longest fresh breath. Listerine is known for its robust flavor, and this is no different.

Cons

The intense flavor may be too much for some individuals, and the burning alcohol was uncomfortable to swish.

Also, there was slight mouth dryness upon rinsing, most likely due to alcohol-active ingredients.

Best for patients desiring exceptionally strong mint flavor and hours of fresh breath.

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5. Best Anticavity | Listerine Total Care Mouthwash

Pros

Total Care was less intense than Ultraclean in regards to flavor and potency.

However, it still offers a strong punch and hours of fresh breath. It’s effective, and including sodium fluoride is beneficial.

Cons

Like Ultraclean, this product was uncomfortable to swish because of the potent flavor and alcohol-active ingredients. Also, there was dryness and altered taste upon rinsing.

Best for patients desiring strong flavor and benefits of fluoride.

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Overall Champion | Colgate Total 12-Hour Mouthwash*

Final Thoughts

Colgate Total and ACT Total Care both tied for first place. Both products were effective, flavorful, and comfortable to swish and provided countless benefits.

Colgate Total edged out ACT Total Care because it’s slightly more affordable, although ACT Total Care is a better choice if you have sensitive gums.

Colgate Total also contains cetylpyridinium chloride, which offers antiplaque/antigingivitis qualities, so consider this product if you desire those benefits.

Crest Pro-Health is another great all-around option with multi-protection benefits.

Listerine rounded out the final two, offering exceptionally potent flavor and alcohol burn to kill harmful bacteria.

Final Rankings

1. Colgate Total 12-Hour Mouthwash 19/20
2. ACT Total Care Sensitive Mouthwash 19/20
3. Crest Pro-Health Oral Rinse 17/20
4. Listerine Total Care Mouthwash 17/20
5. Listerine Ultraclean Antiseptic Mouthwash 16/20

* My Dental Advocate product reviews are based on individual experience and your results with the products may vary.

Need a second opinion? We can help! Learn more. Knowledge is power when cultivating healthy dental habits. The more informed you are, the better positioned you’ll be to prevent avoidable and potentially costly dental procedures for you and your family. Watch for future blog posts, where we’ll continue sharing important information, product reviews and practical advice!