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ACT vs Listerine

Author

Michael Hansford

Published

September 15, 2025

You’re not alone if you’re curious about the difference between ACT vs Listerine mouthwash. These are two popular drugstore brands, often placed right next to each other on shelves. They’re pretty different when you look closer, though.

ACT uses fluoride and milder actives for cavity prevention. It’s a gentler option for your daily rinse. On the other hand, Listerine uses a four-oil antiseptic blend (eucalyptol, menthol, thymol, and methyl salicylate) with high alcohol content to cut down the oral bacteria that cause bad breath and let plaque thrive.

We’ll help you weigh the pros and cons of each brand and pinpoint the better oral rinse between Listerine vs ACT. But you’ll also learn why LIVFRESH is the superior gum health and plaque removal mouthwash. Short answer - it has a patented ingredient proven to deliver:

72% better plaque reduction
163% better tartar control
114% better gum health

It can do all this while eliminating bad breath and keeping the experience comfortable every single day with a low alcohol formula. Try it out and see why thousands of dentists endorse LIVFRESH!

Quick Comparison of ACT vs Listerine vs LIVFRESH

Feature	ACT Mouthwash	Listerine Mouthwash	LIVFRESH Mouthwash
Main Goal	Daily cavity protection and enamel support.	Strong antimicrobial hit and breath control.	Break up plaque bonds and improve gum health.
Key Active Ingredient(s)	Sodium fluoride for anti-cavity protection.	Essential oils blend (eucalyptol, menthol, thymol, etc.).	Activated edathamil + essential oils for plaque disruption.
Plaque & Gum Performance	Helps limit bacteria but doesn’t target plaque adhesion.	Reduces surface bacteria tied to plaque and gingivitis.	Clinically shown to cut plaque, tartar, and improve gum scores.
Alcohol Level / Feel	Alcohol-free; gentle, mild sensation.	Often high alcohol; strong burn and intense flavor.	~0.1% alcohol; cool peppermint without harsh burn.
Best Use Case	People focused on cavities and enamel, including kids/teens.	Adults wanting a powerful, “deep clean” antiseptic feel.	Anyone with plaque, tartar, or gum concerns wanting measurable change.
Daily Comfort	Easy to use long-term for sensitive mouths.	Can be too harsh for dry or irritated gums.	Designed for twice-daily use, even with sensitivity.

Overview of ACT Mouthwash

ACT is best known for its anti-cavity rinse lineup. These formulas are made with one main purpose in mind: strengthening enamel with a steady dose of sodium fluoride. It’s a gentler category of mouthwash, made for everyday use rather than an intense antiseptic hit.

The formulas coat the teeth with a thin fluoride film after brushing, which helps protect softer areas that are starting to show signs of demineralization. ACT is popular with people prone to cavities, kids who have orthodontics, or those with enamel wear. Here are a few of the most well-known formulas ACT makes:

ACT Anti-Cavity: The classic version with 0.05% fluoride and a mild mint profile that doesn’t sting.
ACT Restoring: Raises the fluoride concentration to help reinforce weak enamel. Has a slightly stronger mineral support angle.
ACT Dry Mouth: Swaps out stronger flavor oils for soothing ingredients like xylitol and humectants to help keep moisture levels up.

All three formulas are alcohol-free - that’s a big reason people choose ACT over harsher rinses, and a major distinction between ACT vs Listerine.

However, ACT has its limitations. It doesn’t do much to break down plaque, weaken biofilm structure, or offer much help with gum irritation. It serves its purpose well. It’s just that its purpose is a bit narrow in scope.

Overview of Listerine Mouthwash

Listerine is likely the most well-known oral rinse in the world. The brand makes most of its formulas around a strong blend of essential oils to fight oral bacteria immediately - eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate, and thymol. These ingredients penetrate the biofilm’s surface and bring a sharp, heated sensation. That “burn” or “sting” is the hallmark of Listerine.

There are a few different Listerine products you’ll come across at your local drugstore. Listerine Original and Cool Mint Antiseptic are the classic high-alcohol formulas (21-26% alcohol). Their antimicrobial action is strong, but they can be harsh for sensitive gums and dry-mouth users.

Listerine Zero Alcohol and Listerine Total Care Alcohol-Free are milder. They use the same essential oils but a softer flavor profile. Whitening versions, like Listerine Healthy White, add mild abrasives and peroxide to lift away surface stains. There’s even a Gum Therapy formula.

There’s something for everyone, and that’s part of how Listerine has come to be a household name in oral rinses. Across the board, these mouthwashes work well for freshening breath. But will they make a tangible difference in plaque removal and gum health? Usually not. Results tend to be “surface level.”

You can learn more about Therabreath vs Listerine or Listerine vs Crest mouthwash in our blog if you’d like. We have other comparison posts like this one. But let’s take a closer look at Listerine vs ACT below in the meantime.

ACT vs Listerine: Side-by-Side Showdown

It’s easy to look at ACT vs Listerine and think you’re choosing between two similar mouthwashes since both are basic drugstore brands. That’s not exactly true, though. They’re tailored to different oral health issues. Here’s what you need to know about Listerine and ACT.

Plaque and Gum Support

Most oral health complications can be traced back to excess plaque buildup - be it gum disease or bad breath. That’s why the first thing to look at in our Listerine vs ACT comparison is how well each works to reduce plaque and support healthy gums.

Let’s make one thing clear - ACT doesn’t do much, if anything, here. Its formulas are all about cavity prevention with fluoride and other gentle cleaning agents. It’ll protect your teeth from erosion, but nothing more beyond that.

On the other hand, Listerine attacks the oral bacteria that let plaque thrive. That’s better than ACT, but still underwhelming compared to the more direct plaque reduction properties of LIVFRESH mouthwash. Neither Listerine nor ACT does much to loosen plaque buildup.

Cavity Protection Strength

This is where we need to give credit to ACT mouthwashes. They’re designed for cavity prevention, and they do that well with 0.05% sodium fluoride formulas. Dentists often recommend ACT for this exact purpose.

Listerine does have a Total Care version of its mouthwash that contains fluoride, which would be the closest comparison between ACT vs Listerine. But most Listerine formulas will do little to prevent cavities.

Alcohol Content and Mouthfeel

The Listerine burn is unmistakable. That comes from its notoriously high alcohol levels, often above 20%. This is by design, as alcohol carries all the other therapeutic ingredients. But it’s very contentious. Some people love the burn, others find it makes it hard to stick with twice-daily use. In fact, high alcohol can dry the mouth out and make plaque buildup even worse.

ACT is almost entirely alcohol-free across its lineup. It’s much gentler on the mouth, and that’s why it’s commonly chosen for children and adults. The tradeoff is you’re not getting that same “clean” sensation Listerine is known for. But that’s totally a matter of personal preference.

Sensitivity Friendliness

You can probably imagine which is better for sensitivity in looking at ACT vs Listerine. The former is much gentler for those with dry mouth, gum soreness, or enamel wear. This goes back to its alcohol content (zero).

It’s important to remember Listerine does have alcohol-free versions, but that essential oil blend is still going to produce quite the tingling sensation. That alone is enough to irritate sensitive mouths.

Another important distinction between Listerine vs ACT as far as sensitivity goes - the fluoride content in ACT can help minimize sensitivity going forward by supporting tooth remineralization.

Fresh-Breath Duration

A lot of people compare ACT vs Listerine solely for the purpose of enjoying better breath throughout the day. Listerine definitely comes out ahead here. The essential oils give strong breath control and tend to linger longer than ACT’s mild formulas.

Now, ACT still freshens breath well, but its gentler nature means it might not have the same staying power as Listerine. That’s the tradeoff for lower alcohol content and no harsh essential oils, though.

Cost and Availability

This aspect of comparing ACT vs Listerine is mostly a wash. Either brand (and its full range of formulas) can be found at your local drugstore, for very similar prices. But, it’s important to think about value for the money rather than cost alone.

Just looking for fresher breath? Listerine will be fine. Want more protection against cavities? ACT fits the bill. Neither formula, though, is going to move the needle on long-term plaque removal or gum health. That’s why it’s worth looking at LIVFRESH as well.

What Makes LIVFRESH So Different From ACT and Listerine?

Don’t get us wrong, Listerine and ACT have their place. But by this point in our ACT vs Listerine comparison, you can see how neither formula does much to dramatically improve oral health. They’re fine for freshening breath, or in ACT’s case, preventing cavities.

LIVFRESH works differently. The mouthwash is formulated around a single, patented ingredient known as activated edathamil - and that’s why it’s the best mouthwash for gum disease and the best mouthwash for plaque.

Activated edathamil is the same ingredient in our plaque removal toothpaste. The way it works is by altering the surface charge of teeth and making it harder for plaque to actually get a grip. This makes it way easier to rinse or brush away. It also means plaque has a harder time sticking to teeth or along the gumline going forward.

The ingredient behind LIVFRESH has also been shown to support tooth remineralization, so there are anti-cavity benefits as well. The formula is low alcohol (0.1%) so it’s easy to make part of a twice-daily routine without the harsh burn other mouthwashes are notorious for.

Whether you’re looking for a Listerine alternative or Therabreath alternative, we encourage you to learn more about LIVFRESH. It’s dentist-recommended and backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Order today!

Final Words on Listerine vs ACT

That concludes our ACT vs Listerine comparison. These are two of the most popular mouthwashes lining the shelves at your local drugstore, but they’re very different - and we hope you have a solid grasp on which suits your needs at this point.

ACT gives dependable cavity protection, while Listerine brings stronger breath control. Both still leave plaque adhesion and gum support on the table. LIVFRESH is in a league of its own if you are more interested in measurable oral health improvements.

With clinical studies supporting stronger plaque and tartar control and gum health improvements, you can place your order with confidence knowing you’re getting a mouthwash that actually earns its place in your daily routine. Try it risk-free today!