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Listerine Floss Claim FAQs:

Flossing plays a key role in removing plaque and food particles from between the teeth and below the gumline and should be part of your daily oral care routine.

Rinsing with mouthwash is not a replacement for flossing and brushing, but new research proves that LISTERINE® adds clinically proven benefits to any oral hygiene routine.

A complete routine of brushing, flossing, and rinsing with LISTERINE® mouthwash can provide a clinically proven incremental benefit to brushing and flossing alone. LISTERINE® helps reduce plaque build-up above the gumline with continued daily use, and reaches virtually 100% of the mouth, providing immediate germ-kill action in parts of your mouth brushing and flossing alone cannot reach

Although we have studies to demonstrate that Listerine is more effective than floss for sustained plaque reduction above the gumline, we advise that LISTERINE® is used in addition to brushing and flossing. Flossing plays a key role in your daily oral hygiene routine, and we have shown that the addition of LISTERINE® to brushing and flossing provides incremental benefits to your oral hygiene routine.

This data has been taken from two 12-week clinical studies conducted by LISTERINE®; published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene (JDH).

The first clinical study (Bosma et al, 2022) randomly assigned participants to four groups with an oral hygiene routine of: brushing only, brushing and hygienist conducted flossing, brushing and supervised flossing or brushing and rinsing with LISTERINE® mouthwash. The study outcome concluded that a daily oral  health routine of brushing with the addition of LISTERINE® mouthwash containing four essential oils resulted in greater reduction in plaque build-up above the gumline compared to the addition of flossing alone, after 12 weeks.

The second study (Milleman et al, 2022) randomly assigned participants to four oral hygiene groups with an oral hygiene routine of: brushing only, brushing & rinsing with LISTERINE® mouthwash, brushing and flossing or brushing, flossing and rinsing with LISTERINE® mouthwash. The study outcome concluded that addition of LISTERINE® mouthwash to a daily oral health routine of brushing or brushing and flossing resulted in significant reduction in the build-up of plaque, after 12 weeks.

Kenvue’s clinical trials included brushing and flossing, with no data comparing to interdental brushes. Rinsing with mouthwash is not a replacement for flossing and brushing.

Applicable to Listerine Original, Cool Mint, Freshburst, Tartar Control, Teeth Defence, Total Care

Our research only included LISTERINE® branded products.

Essential oils are at the very core of our formulation. No other branded mouthwash offers this unique, four-ingredient formula that penetrates biofilm to reduce plaque and helps keep your mouth feeling clean and healthy

Whilst Kenvue have designed and funded the study, it was conducted by an independent research clinic that is operated and approved by the American Dental Association. They have conducted many oral health related clinical trials and their research has been published in accredited scientific journals, contributing to knowledge on oral health and related products. The study followed established industry standards and Good Clinical Practice (GCP), an international ethical and scientific quality standard for designing, recording and reporting trials that involve the participation of human subjects. The results have been published in the well-recognised, and independently assessed Journal of Dental Hygiene and the data is available to the public: https://jdh.adha.org/content/96/3/8

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