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Home>How LISTERINE® Works

How Listerine® Works:
4 Essential Oils.

1 Bold Mouthwash.

Curious how LISTERINE® Mouthwash has such a bold effect on oral health? The answer is simple: eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate, and thymol—the 4 essential oils in LISTERINE®.

THE ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION OF LISTERINE® ANTISEPTIC COMES FROM ITS UNIQUE FORMULA, WHICH CONTAINS A FIXED COMBINATION OF 4 ESSENTIAL OILS FOUND IN NATURAL PLANT SOURCES.

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WHAT DOES LISTERINE DO?

  • LISTERINE® Mouthwash reaches every site in the mouth, reducing plaque biofilm in areas that patients may miss when brushing and interdental cleaning
  • The 4 essential oils in LISTERINE® penetrate deeply into the bottom layers of the plaque biofilm, breaking down its structure in places that are more difficult for a toothbrush or interdental cleaning device to access1-3

A BOLD ACHIEVEMENT: BETTER PLAQUE REDUCTION THAN CPC.4

  • LISTERINE® Antiseptic penetrates deeper into the plaque biofilm than cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) mouthrinse
  • Confocal microscopy reveals a higher ratio of dead bacteria to living bacteria within the biofilm with LISTERINE® than with CPC mouthrinse or negative control

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*Based on self-reported data from a survey of patients in Brazil, Japan, Thailand, United Kingdom, and United States (N=4134).

References: 1. Foster JS, Pan PC, Kolenbrander PE. Effects of antimicrobial agents on oral biofilms in a saliva-conditioned flowcell. Biofilms. 2004;1(1):3-10. 2. Minah GE, DePaola LG, Overholser CD, et al. Effects of 6 months use of an antiseptic mouthrinse on supragingival dental plaque microflora. J Clin Periodontol. 1989;16(6):347-352. 3. Walker C, Clark W, Wheeler T, Lamm R. Evaluation of microbial shifts in supragingival plaque following long-term use of an oral antiseptic mouthrinse. J Dent Res. 1989;68:412. 4. Data on file.

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