Listerine's Whitening Pre-Brush Rinse is a product to help whiten teeth while pre-cleaning teeth prior to brushing. Using a pre-brush rinse before brushing will help kill germs and will add a foaming agent to get in between teeth. For the Clean Mint flavor of Pre-Brush Rinse, there are water, flavor and eight other ingredients.
Alcohol
The Clean Mint formula has 8 percent alcohol in the Pre-Brush Rinse. Alcohol can be drying but it also can help clean and be used as a detergent, according to Cosmetics Cop. It is used to kill germs in the mouth.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide provides the foaming properties to Listerine's Pre-Brush Rinse. It is an antiseptic that will aid in killing micro-organisms, according to Cosmetics Info. Used in mouthwashes, it will oxygenate stains or blemishes on the surface and whiten the teeth.
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium phosphate is recognized as "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS, by the Food and Drug Administration. It is a buffering agent that cleanses, according to Cosmetics Info. This cleansing action helps clean the surface area of the teeth.
Poloxamer 407
Poloxamer 407 is used to create emulsions by helping ingredients dissolve into each other, according to Cosmetics Info. They allow water and oil to mix with items that need to be cleansed and washed away.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
This is a surfactant that creates a smooth surface area that allows a product to glide easily over it, according to Cosmetics Info. It helps dirt cling to water and oil and get washed away. It doubles as a cleansing agent.
Sodium Citrate
Sodium citrate controls the pH of the item, making sure that it is as acidic or alkaline as it needs to be. It may also function as a preservative to keep the product from spoiling, according to Cosmetics Cop.
Sodium Saccharin
This is a flavoring or sweetening agent. It makes a product more palatable by making it sweeter. Sodium saccharin is around 300 times the sweetness of natural sugar, according to Cosmetics Info.
Sucralose
Another sweetening agent, sucralose is 600 times sweeter than natural sugar, according to Elmhurst College. It is low calorie and is used to keep the flavor of a product from getting too tart.
