‘Beware’: Woman issues warning on Therabreath mouthwash after seeing what it did to her teeth

Photo by@may_gah/TikTok Billy F Blume Jr/ShutterStock GBJSTOCK/ShutterStock

A woman went viral on TikTok after claiming that her Therabreath mouthwash caused her teeth to turn yellow.

TikTok user May (@may_gah), first posted a video about the claim last week. She writes in the text overlay, “Me wondering why my teeth were turning brown. Like did I drink that much coffee? NOPE. It’s just the new mouthwash that I got that contains cetyl pyridinium.”

“Ummm @TheraBreath,” she wrote further in the caption. “Imma need a therapist or my money back LOL. I thought I was going insane.”

Following the video's widespread popularity, numerous TikTok followers backed May's assertion in the discussion section, stating they too had encountered the same problem.

Lately, she shared a video update that displays the alleged harm done by the Therabreath mouthwash in detail.

How severe is the discoloration?

In her latest video, which has received more than 193,500 views as of now, May begins by asking TikTok medical experts for help.

“Please, I don’t want to see a dentist or a dental hygienist or anyone in the dental field like stitching this video like ‘This is why your teeth turned brown,’” she says.

She jokingly mentions having “this London look” that she doesn’t want to be plastered all over the platform, likely referring to the gap between her front teeth.

May then zooms in on her teeth, showing the viewers “the stains.” As she pans the camera, a slight yellow tint is visible, mostly along the edges of her teeth, especially on the bottom row.

“Do you see that?” she exclaims. “It literally looks so bad.”

While May states the stains aren’t visible from afar, but are glaringly obvious up close.

“This is literally so embarrassing,” she says while demonstrating. “I’ve been smiling at customers like, ‘Hi, what can I get for you?’”

As a final point, May explains that discoloration due to cetylpyridinium, an ingredient found in some Therabreath mouthwashes, “only happens to like 3% of the population.”

“Who knows? It might not happen to you,” she concludes. “Just beware when you buy that mouthwash.”

Does Therabreath mouthwash stain teeth?

Contrary to what one might expect, using a dental hygiene product could actually lead to teeth staining. Certain mouthwashes, however, have been found to cause discoloration. As highlighted by May, this risk is particularly high in mouthwashes that include cetylpyridinium chloride.

Nonetheless, an article by dental hygiene expert Whitney DiFoggio (TeethTalkGirl) suggests that the yellowing of teeth isn't directly caused by the mouthwash's ingredients. Rather, it's the interaction between the mouthwash and the bacteria already on the teeth that leads to this effect.

The piece mentions that this problem is rare, affecting only about 3% of individuals. Should staining happen, it's described as minor and can be easily eliminated through a dental cleaning.

It's also important to point out that not all Therabreath mouthwashes contain cetylpyridinium chloride, and this compound is not unique to Therabreath—it's also found in many other dental products.

Commenters think May is being too harsh on herself

In the comments, TikTok users reassure May that her teeth look great, while some give her advice on an alternative mouthwash she could try.

“Your teeth are not ugly! Staining is so normal and is not noticeable,” wrote one user. “Love the gap teeth, too, think it’s so cute and miss my gap. Be kind to yourself.”

“The whitening Therabreath in the sparkly bottle is my FAVORITE,” advised another. “It is such an easy way to whiten daily, and it truly does work!! It’s a game changer promise.”

“I need a dentist to stitch to explain,” wrote a third. “I love Therabreath.”