Oral rinses have been around
for centuries. They have been as simple as salt in water or as convoluted as mixed
herbs in a vinegar base. But it was during the 19th century that
alcohol was added to mouthrinse to fight germs and bacteria. Listerine was
probably the forerunner in that category, but bear in mind that before it
became a mouthrinse, it was originally used as an antiseptic for surgical
procedures and to clean floors.
Fast forward to the present, and we find that
mouthwashes haven’t changed much in the past 100 plus years. Listerine is still
popular with its 27% alcohol content. That
is pretty significant when you realize that alcoholic drinks range from a low of 3% (beer, wine)
