Dragonbreath X’s Significance in “Mouthwashing”

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for “Mouthwashing.“

“Mouthwashing” is the most recent cult classic videogame to take the Internet by storm. It’s an excellently written tale of five dying people on a deserted spacecraft. The game innovated in psychological horror by forcing the player to do disturbing things to progress in the game. Many people on YouTube have completed Let’s Play videos and chronological analyses of the story, but there’s one thing in “Mouthwashing” that many don’t quite examine: the mouthwash itself. 

Chapter two of the game establishes the situation: two months have passed since the Pony Express’ cargo ship, the Tulpar, has become nothing but inanimate space junk. Vital supplies have dwindled, forcing the crew to rely on their own cargo for survival. Come chapter six, Jimmy, Anya, Swansea, and Daisuke break into the cargo hold, only to realize everything inside is nothing but Dragonbreath X mouthwash.  

Dragonbreath as a company plays the role of a backseat villain in “Mouthwashing,” supplementing Jimmy’s misdeeds. Jimmy crashed the Tulpar and left everyone stranded, and doing so was like starting a timer where once time expires, everybody dies from hunger, dehydration, or lack of oxygen. Dragonbreath X being 100% of the cargo bought nobody more time, rather it just ran down the clock faster. 

That much is obvious, but this ridiculous occurrence symbolizes the harm from corporate greed and capitalism. You can only blame bigwigs for such a case, but this is funny since Dragonbreath also produces the ingredients for some of Pony Express’s food. By examining the ingredients for things like cake, the player will discover that the water, gelatin, sweetener, and tonic pouches are manufactured by Dragonbreath. Thus, sometimes when money’s on the table, there’s no more room for the corporation to care for its employees or preparing for the worst. 

Not that it was any good to begin with– Dragonbreath X appears to be more of a hazard than Listerine or Colgate. 

During Dragonbreath X’s TV ad in chapter five, the first half of the small print reads: “Consult with your local dental hygiene specialist before, during, and after the use of Dragonbreath X mouthwash.” What kind of dental hygiene product requires 24/7 professional oversight? 

The remainder of the small print also states that “Dragonbreath CO. will not accept responsibility for any harm by use of this product.” It’s an obvious nod to the game’s theme of taking responsibility. The fact that it’s in small print resembles how characters like Jimmy have tried hiding the fact that they aren’t. 

Different parts of the mouthwash, such as its chemical composition, description, or advertising, connect to each of the five characters. 

The bold statement that the mouthwash “Kills 99.9% of germs!” aligns with Curly. As a well-renowned captain, he’s resolved most conflicts except for one: Jimmy’s sexual assault on Anya, which Curly has apparently known about prior to confronting him. Thus, Jimmy is the remaining 0.1% of germs. 

“Bad breath ain’t nothing but a dream!” refers to Jimmy as he wallows in denial. Even if his teeth aren’t rotten, his character and actions are. Throughout “Mouthwashing,” Jimmy constantly pretends as if everything didn’t start with him.

What’s interesting, though, is how the quote isn’t officially on the bottle. Instead, it’s a part of the mouthwash’s description when it’s in your inventory while playing as Jimmy. It resonates from how Jimmy keeps suppressing his guilt in the one way he knows how: making things up.

Swansea’s behavior gradually becomes more erratic compared to his stern demeanor before the accident. His appearance fittingly becomes more distraught as his uniform becomes dirtied and his fatigue is shown through his baggy eyes. 

During chapter six, Anya proposes that “The sugar content offsets the mouthwash as a disinfectant,” which refers to Daisuke in two different ways. The obvious connection is when Daisuke is critically injured, and Jimmy resorts to mouthwash as a disinfectant since he wasted the isopropyl alcohol, which only heightens Daisuke’s pain.  

Then, there’s the connection to Daisuke as a character. He’s an innocent, optimistic, colorful young man trying his best. Sadly, that’s not enough to survive a world cruel to everyone indiscriminately. It’s great to have a can-do attitude, but it made him easy to manipulate. 

Lastly, the cosmetic parts of Dragonbreath X, such as its cyan glow, inferably minty taste, and the “All day fire fresh!” slogan, can be compared to both sides of Anya. On the outside, she’s the Tulpar’s nurse who is only trying to help. This front conceals her inner demons that she keeps bottled up from her trauma from Jimmy, which, like the mouthwash, is dangerous and underestimated. As a result, she’s never properly sought to by Curly or Swansea, and Daisuke never learns what’s going on with her until it’s too late. 

Note that Anya can be inferred as the only person that didn’t resort to mouthwash for survival. She’s initially defensive over how nobody should drink the mouthwash, and it can also be noticed how the medbay, where she can be usually found, hasn’t been littered with empty mouthwash bottles. This might reflect her own “freshness” from not trying the mouthwash, rather than giving in and tainting herself.

However, there’s also a connection to you, the player, because “Mouthwashing” is undoubtedly an unforgettable and abrasive experience. I have no better way to word it than how I did when I reviewed “Mouthwashing” back in February: “‘…Mouthwashing’ is supposed to leave a bad taste in your mouth after the credits roll, so much so that you can’t simply rinse it out.” 

With everything said, Dragonbreath X is crucial to “Mouthwashing,” and not just in a titular sense. Looking closely, Dragonbreath X isn’t a MacGuffin. It’s a silent killer, it’s a villain, and it’s a mirror for all of the characters to look at. Upon consideration, the choice of mouthwash for a premise like this isn’t so ridiculous after all– it’s quite clever.