system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Is there REALLY any difference in effectiveness between the tasty pink bubblegum Act mouthwash my girlfriend uses vs. The burning stinging alcoholic green mint Listerine mouthwash I use?
gpt
The difference between the two is that the stinging green alcoholic Listerine mouthwash is right there in the question title! Mouthwash for children doesn't use any alcohol as the taste is very abrasive and strong for children. Bubblegum mouthwash is more of a fluoride rinse rather than a bad breath killing rinse. Alcohol pretty much decimates bacteria in your mouth, getting rid of the bad breath and stray bacteria which can harm your enamel, etc. The mint flavoring used in many conventional mouthwashes is to accentuate the alcohol, and give you the feeling of freshness many of us associate with mint. It's good at covering up any potential bad breath remaining, and is generally a better smell than "plain".