The Breath Co Review: Fresh Breath Oral Rinse Mouthwash

There may have been times in your life where you are having a conversation with someone face to face and you have felt the need to step back because of the bad breath originating from the other person.

It can be unpleasant, but often those with the bad breath may be unaware of their problem or unable to find a solution; you may yourself be the one suffering with bad breath.

Bad breath, morning breath or for the clinical name, Halitosis, is something any of us can suffer from and often comes as a result of poor oral hygiene.

Regular teeth and tongue cleaning is step 1 to reducing this problem. Flossing and your diet are also factors to consider.

For some though bad breath can still pose a bit of an issue and there are steps you can take to try and resolve the problem or reduce the effect.

One such option is to try the Fresh Breath oral rinse from The Breath Co which fights bad breath and works instantly and lasts for over 12 hours — we rate it as the best mouthwash for bad breath.

Just below are the key bits of information you probably wish to know, but for those of you that like more detail, we’ve also included a detailed review of Fresh Breath Co’s Fresh Breath Oral Rinse Mouthwash.

Does it actually work?

Yes, to a point it does.  It freshens the breath instantly and the effects last longer than many cheaper alternatives.

How much does it cost?

To keep things nice and simple this mouthwash comes in one bottle size only, that is a 500ml bottle.  The price varies from retailer to retailer but you can expect prices ranging from about £11 to £15 per bottle. You would be right to think that this appears expensive, and this is because it is in comparison to many other normal mouthwashes, but as a more specialised product it is priced equivalently.

Where can I buy it?

Here in the UK the oral rinse is available primarily from 3 large retailers. You can purchase from Amazon, Boots or Superdrug online or you should be able to find in store with Boots and Superdrug. Boots and Superdrug tend to be similarly priced with Amazon generally having the cheapest price.

Would I recommend it?

I cannot give this a 100% recommendation to go out and buy it. I know it does work and has positive effects, there is no question of this.

However I feel that many will agree that they want the effects at a price point that is comfortable and Fresh Breath really pushes this boundary.

Testing yourself is the only real option for you to find out if this actually works better for you and I am sure those with bad breath/halitosis (unlike myself) will find benefits greater than that I have experienced.

Full Review

You know that if you have just munched on some garlic bread or had a spicy meal or maybe a few too many alcoholic drinks that your breath can be, well unpleasant in smell and taste to you and anyone you interact with.

There are times where cleaning our teeth might be preferred but is not always practical and there are those times where you would like a freshen up of the mouth.

Is Fresh Breath Oral Rinse from the Breath Co the product for you?

Created by Dr Howard Katz this mouthwash fights bad breath and works instantly lasting for over 12 hours according to the label.

Other products like CB12 claim similar things, that even has its own patent (no 1156777).

So how good is Fresh Breath?

How I tested the mouthwash

There is no science in the way that I have tested this mouthwash.

I try to test and use in ways that I would naturally use the product whilst also taking into consideration how others might also use it but also considering the suggestions of the manufacturer for best results. I used Fresh Breath at 2 different times of the day for 2 weeks.

• In the morning, soon after having cleaned my teeth
• At night, soon after having cleaned my teeth

Each time I used the recommended 2 x 15ml dosage.

Recommendation on the bottle, suggests for the best results, use twice a day.

Whilst testing the oral rinse I used an electric toothbrush and cleaned my teeth twice a day for 2 minutes.  My toothbrush of choice is the Oral-B Pro 6000. I of course flossed my teeth and took on no changes in diet.

And to try and make a more informed judgement I obtained the opinions of family members who I trusted to give honest feedback on the freshness of my breath before and after use.

It is worth noting what differs here with Fresh Breath to many other mouthwashes I have tried, the advice here is a measure of 15ml to be rinsed around the mouth for a minute and then another 15ml measure to be gargled for 30 seconds.  Most others suggest just one measured amount to be used for 30-60 seconds.  Is the double dosage a trick to achieve fresher breath? You will get through it quicker!

Summary How I tested the mouthwash

• Test lasted for 2 weeks
• Used at 2 different times of day
• Used 2 x 15ml doses each time
• Used Oral-B Pro 6000 electric toothbrush
• Cleaned twice a day for 2 minutes each time
• Flossed once a day
• No changes in diet

Daily Usage

So if it was not already apparent, the Fresh Breath Oral Rinse is not your normal everyday mouthwash.

It is perfectly safe and is designed to be used everyday, but you will not find this on the shop shelves of all the major supermarkets and perhaps need to hunt for it a bit.

For most the normal ‘cheaper’ mouthwash will do the job, but if you suffer from bad breath, or like to ensure your breath stays fresher for longer then this could be the answer.

Let me start by talking about the design and shelf appeal of the bottle.

It doesn’t feel particularly current.  Sit it next to the CB12 bottle and you probably get what I mean. It might be just me, but it looks a little like a bottle from yesteryear like a special back shelf product with the label colours and being ‘signed’ by Doctor Katz.  Some may say it looks like it has been packaged as some miracle cure which you pay a lot for but never does the job and by the time you realise it’s too late to get your money back.

Well it is not all bad, I can assure you.

The bottle is either dark green or a vibrant blue depending on whether you opt for the ‘Mild Mint’ or ‘Invigorating Icy Mint’. You are provided with a decent cap/cup that includes a measure for pouring out the required dosage and this can sit on or off the bottle as there is another smaller white bottle top that seals the bottle shut.

When new the cap is sealed to the bottle and the neck of the bottle is sealed too, requiring you to pull off that seal before first use.

The bottle is a fairly decent sized 500ml which you would think would last about month, but don’t be fooled, follow the directions and you will be running out in days rather than weeks or months and it is expensive.

Let me elaborate.

The directions for use suggest one dosage (15ml) rinsed around the mouth for a minute, spat out and another dosage gargled for 30 seconds and repeated 12 hours later.

This means that is used in accordance with this, some 60ml will be used a day. This means that a bottle would last just over 8 days. In fact I needed a second bottle to complete this 2 week trial.

Ok I have no issue with this, but at the time of writing the cheapest price I can obtain this for is £11.35 with prices as high as £14.

That makes this expensive,  around 68-84p per use or about £1.35-£1.68 per day for 60ml’s of liquid.

I thought CB12 was expensive at around 32p use.

This is of course only a recommendation and is not something you have to follow.  You could use a smaller dose or just rinse once a day and this will all have an impact.  You could even water it down, but deviating from the recommended will affect the results, so there is no scope to complain it is not working if you are not using as advised.

Now if you used just 2 x 15ml measures during a day, this would have the cost to around 34p per use and 70p per day which is more on par with CB12.

Cost is personal and to some this is nothing, to others this is a ridiculous amount of money to simply spit down the sink.

If you find this helps your bad breath and leaves you feeling more confident, then the expense may be a small price to pay for the long term value and well being it brings.

I cannot nor wish to speak for everyone.

Being a cynic is not what I wish to be but I can’t help but think that by using 30ml each session means the long lasting fresh breath is achieve because you have simply used more mouthwash to react and cure odours.  If you used 3 times the amount of a ‘normal’ mouthwash would the same benefit be felt?

There is science that goes into the mouthwash and having had a formula since 1993, something is working.

Critical I feel I have been, but with no alcohol, no artificial colours, approved for diabetics, vegan, kosher and Gluten-Free there are lots of things going here that makes this more suitable than may first meet the eye or the tastebuds.

So to the taste.  The options are Mild Mint and Invigorating Icy Mint.

On test is the Icy Mint.

Wow, I can normally handle a strong mouthwash but whilst the initial taste was subtle over the next 20-40 seconds there was a baptism of intensity and for me personally almost an overbearing ‘invigoration’.  And that is after just the first rinse.

The second phase of gargling was not so punchy because my mouth was still recovering.

The intensity dies down within a few minutes of spitting it out.

I struggle to verify or find any truth, personally in over 12 hours of freshness.  For a start within an hour or so the ‘freshness’ I could taste had really dulled and i need something to eat within 12 hours, so the food normally kills or mutes any remaining freshness.

There may well have been longer effects of freshness on the breath to others that I could not taste or quantify but a large proportion of this is subjective.

Use at night before bed will does result in extended freshness but come the morning after 8 hours sleep I couldn’t say I could taste the freshness any longer and my partner suggested my breath was ‘normal’.

As I do not suffer from bad breath, I am perhaps not the ideal candidate and those with such may find greater benefit and effect.

The rinse is clear in colour and smells like a fresh pack of mint gum when held to the nose. I don’t believe I suffer with bad breath, but if I did I can imagine this being an absolute saviour…to a point.

If you suffer with bad breath seeking medical advice on the root cause will probably be better and more or a confidence boost that just masking with mouthwash.

This is of course just my opinion, but having sought that of others that I know and other online reviews there is a degree of commonality.

For some, the results are better, for many they are more in line with my own described above, whilst others found this to be nothing more than a complete waste of money.

The price can have a strong bearing on thought an opinion and The Breath Co actually offer a 100% money back guarantee.  So if it’s not for you, then you can get the cost of it back.  More details on that here.

There are strengths to Fresh Breath Oral Rinse, but strengths that for me come undone a little though price and almost trickery in using double the dosage most other mouthwashes recommend.

Whilst not the most practical of options, multiple rinses with a cheaper and weaker mouthwash can have similar effects, with more bursts of freshness through the day rather than an ever dulling taste.

Summary of Daily Usage

• 500ml bottle offers approximately 16 uses
• 1 use can cost 84p or more
• Strong minty freshness, that could be overpowering
• 1 x 15ml dosage rinsed in the mouth for 60 seconds then spat out followed by a 30 second gargle of another 15ml
• Provided dosage/measure cup
• Clear in colour
• Dated bottle design

The Results

There is no denying that after rinsing for just 30 seconds with Fresh Breath that I began to feel the results.  This only increased the longer I used it and the invigorating icy mint lived up to its name.

Yes it works instantly, yes certainly fights bad breath, but lasting for over 12 hours is perhaps for me a claim that goes too far and I am unable to really confirm this. Those that suffer from halitosis may find greater effectiveness for themselves.

Conclusion, is Fresh Breath Oral Rinse any good?

Taking into account all the pros and cons, for me, I personally prefer CB12 over Fresh Breath.  It is a bit cheaper, the bottle is better designed, I feel the effects last just as, if not longer and I prefer the taste.

Fresh Breath did leave me with fresher breath and the feeling of freshness was arguably longer than many other mouthwash products.  I still can’t help but feel a little negatively towards how this is achieved.  30ml dosages twice a day, it almost seems like more equals greater effect.  Whilst not tested, if I took the same amount of cheaper mouthwash would I see additional benefits but a cost saving?

You do not have to have such dosages and I think many with just 15ml dosage twice a day would see benefit, or you could water it down, but that kind of defeats the point of using a rinse that is perhaps stronger for fighting bad breath.

Not suffering from halitosis, I could be argued to not be the best test subject and the results for those who have such a condition may well be superior to what I have found.

There is certainly a place for the Fresh Breath Oral Rinse in the market, but it is about testing and finding out whether it is right for you.  The money back guarantee is one way to find out!

FAQ’s

• Where can I buy The Breath Co Fresh Breath Oral Rinse?
  • Available primarily from 2 large retailers. You can purchase from Amazon online, or Boots online and in store.
• What are the ingredients in Fresh Breath?
  • Purified Water, OXYD-8 (Dr. Katz’s patented version of CI02), Xylitol, Glycerin, PED-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Menthol, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Sucralose, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Bicarbonate
• Does it contain fluoride?
  • No, it does not.
• Does it contain alcohol?
  • No, it does not.
• What does it taste like?
  • There is a Cool Mint and Icy Mint.  I have been trying out the Icy Mint and this was certainly punchy in its intensity and whilst the taste started off dull, after 20 seconds I felt a bit of an explosion of taste and intensity in the mouth.
• How often should I rinse?
  • The suggestion is once every 12 hours.  Rinsing a measured amount around the mouth for 1 minute then gargling a second measured amount for 30 seconds.
• Does it actually work?
  • Yes and no.  It does freshen the breath for longer periods than other mouthwashes I have tried but I was unable to get a full 12 hours of noticeable freshness.
• Does it hurt?
  • It does not hurt in most instances. I certainly found no pain from using it.  However different people can react differently and should you suffer any pain stop using and consult professional advice.
• How long does it last?
  • The label claims this will last for over 12 hours.  I found this difficult to confirm and felt the freshness in my mouth had dissipated within a few hours.  The effectiveness for some may be better than others.
• Can it prevent “morning breath”?
  • This is not a key selling point of the rinse.  It fights bad breath so should go a long way to preventing this, especially if you rinse as directed at night before going to sleep.
  • Our testing suggests an improved freshness come morning, but the results are personal.
• From what age can Fresh Breath be first used?
  • The packaging or website makes no comment on from what age the product can be used.  Whilst you may want to seek further advice, we believe it is safe for all ages but there is likely little need to use on children under the age of 12.
• Can you water down the mouthwash?
  • Yes, although this may reduce the effects of freshening the breath.
• How should you use the mouthwash?
  • The advised directions for use are to rinse a measured amount for 1 minute, spit out and then gargle a second measured amount for 30 seconds before spitting out.
• Who produces Fresh Breath Oral Rinse?
  • Fresh Breath is manufactured in the USA for Dr. Harold Katz, LLC, Los Angeles, CA, USA.  R.P. Delphic HSE Solutions Ltd, GU16 6SH UK