LISTERINE® Antiseptic has been a powerful germ killer for more than 140 years. Decades of proven safety and efficacy.
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A TRUE ORIGINAL WITH MORE THAN A CENTURY OF PROVEN EFFICACY
LISTERINE® has been a powerful germ killer for more than 100 years.
By 1885, LISTERINE® was beginning to be used by dental professionals. Although LISTERINE® has been formulated with the same active ingredients since 1879 and has been a household name for well over a century, over the past 4 decades we have also gained extensive clinical evidence of its safety and efficacy, supporting its use.
THE UNIQUE INGREDIENTS BEHIND THE GERM-KILLING POWER OF LISTERINE®
The alcohol in LISTERINE® alcohol containing products only acts as a solvent that delivers the ingredients: the essential oils, which actually do the work. The essential oils were inspired by the antimicrobial properties of the oils found in plants.1,2
Essential oils in LISTERINE®
Thymol
Similar to the oil from the thyme plant
Eucalyptol
Extracted from Eucalyptus
Menthol
A minty oil, similar to the extract of mint leaves
Methyl Salicylate
Inspired by wintergreen
LISTERINE® DEEPLY PENETRATES PLAQUE BIOFILM
Upon infiltrating the biofilm's protective matrix, the essential oils go to work, perforating bacterial membranes, altering bacterial enzyme activity, and reducing bacterial endotoxins—effectively killing both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and decreasing the pathogenicity of biofilm.3 But what does this mean for your patients? LISTERINE® helps patients maintain a healthy mouth by killing 99.9% of the bacteria* that causes plaque buildup, gingivitis, and bad breath. 4-9
LISTERINE® IS THE MOST EXTENSIVELY TESTED MOUTHWASH
A pivotal 6-month clinical study by Sharma, et al. in 2004 demonstrated that brushing and flossing reduced whole-mouth plaque by only 9.3% compared to brushing alone. But when LISTERINE® rinse was added to brushing and flossing, whole-mouth plaque was reduced by 56.3%.15
In 2015, in the most robust collection of clinical data of its kind, one landmark meta-analysis of 29 studies based its analyses on site-specific plaque scores. This meta-analysis revealed that 36.9% of subjects using mechanical methods with Listerine mouthwash experienced at least 50% plaque-free sites after 6 months, compared to just 5.5% of patients using mechanical methods alone.16
PROVEN SAFETY AND TOLERABILITY OF LISTERINE® IN CLINICAL STUDIES
Because LISTERINE® is so effective at killing bacteria, some dental professionals may wonder if its potency could result in oral adverse events or contribute to antimicrobial resistance. As powerful as LISTERINE® is, its safety is supported by 15 6-month studies conducted over a 20-year period in 3203 subjects.17** Data indicate that oral adverse events reported in LISTERINE® groups were low (<1.0%) and generally similar to those reported in brushing-only groups. No serious adverse events were reported in these studies.
LISTERINE® SAFETY STUDIES CONCLUSIONS:
- Well tolerated on oral mucosa18
- No negative effect on balance of oral bacteria19,20
- No detectable increase in microbial resistance19,20
- No detectable increase in opportunistic pathogens19,20
- No negative impact detected due to alcohol detected21,26
- Compatible with composite restorations and dental implants27,28
*Lab test only. Germ kill % in the mouth can be lower
**Includes a variety of LISTERINE® rinses, including alcohol- and nonalcohol-containing formulations.
References: 1. Seow YX, Yeo CR, Chung HL, Yuk H-G. Plant essential oils as active antimicrobial agents. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2014;54(5):625-644. 2. Foster JS, Pan PC, Kolenbrander PE. Effects of antimicrobial agents on oral biofilms in a saliva-conditioned flowcell. Biofilms. 2004;1:5-12. 3. DePaola LG, Spolarich AE. Safety and efficacy of antimicrobial mouthrinses in clinical practice. J Dent Hygiene. 2007;81(suppl 1):13-25. 4. Fine DH, Furgang D, Lieb R, Korik I, Vincent JW, Barnett ML. Effects of sublethal exposure to an antiseptic mouthrinse representative plaque bacteria. J Clin Periodontol. 1996;23(5):444-451. 5. Kubert D, Rubin M, Barnett ML, Vincent JW. Antiseptic mouthrinse-induced microbial cell surface alterations. Am J Dent. 1993;6(6):277-279. 6. Pitts G, Pianotti R, Feary TW, McGuiness J, Masurat T. The in vivo effects of an antiseptic mouthwash on odor-producing microorganisms. J Dent Res. 1981;60(11):1891-1896. 7. Pitts G, Brogdon L, Hu L, Masurat T, Pianotti R, Schumann P. Mechanism of action of an antiseptic, anti-odor mouthwash. J Dent Res. 1983;62(6):738-742. 8. Ilg D, McGuire JA, Mordas CJ, Queiroz D, Fourre T, Santos SL. In vitro efficacy of an alcohol-free essential oil containing mouthrinse. J Dent Hyg. 2012;86(1):50-51. 9. Pan PC, Harper S, Ricci-Nittel D, Lux R, Shi W. In-vitro evidence for efficacy of antimicrobial mouthrinses. J Dent. 2010;38(suppl 1):S16-S20. 10. Gunsolley JC. A meta-analysis of six-month studies of antiplaque and antigingivitis agents. J Am Dent Assoc. 2006;137(12):1649-1657. 11. Gunsolley JC. Clinical efficacy of antimicrobial mouthrinses. J Dent. 2010;38(suppl 1):S6-S10. 12. Van Leeuwen MP, Slot DE, Van der Weijden GA. Essential oils compared to chlorhexidine with respect to plaque and parameters of gingival inflammation: a systematic review. J Periodontol. 2011;82(2):174-194. 13. Swango PA. Regular use of antimicrobial mouthrinses can effectively augment the benefits of oral prophylaxis and oral hygiene instructions at 6-month recall intervals in reducing the occurrence of dental plaque and gingivitis. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2012;12(2):87-89. 14. Boyle P, Koechlin A, Autier P. Mouthwash use and the prevention of plaque, gingivitis and caries. Oral Dis. 2014;20(suppl 1):1-68. 15. Sharma N, Charles CH, Lynch MC, et al. Adjunctive benefit of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse in reducing plaque and gingivitis in patients who brush and floss regularly: a six-month study. J Am Dent Assoc. 2004;135(4):496-504. 16. Araujo MW, Charles CA, Weinstein RB, et al. Meta-analysis of the effect of an essential oil-containing mouthrinse on gingivitis and plaque. J Am Dent Assoc. 2015;146(8):610-622 and/or post-hoc analyses of data. 17. Data on file, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. 18. Fischman SL, Aguirre A, Charles CH. Use of essential oil–containing mouthwashes by xerostomic individuals: determination of potential for oral mucosal irritation. Am J Dent. 2004;17(1):23-26. 19. 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. 20. Walker C, Clark W, Tyler K, Ross N, Dills S. Evaluation of microbial shifts following long-term antiseptic mouthrinse use [abstract]. J Dent Res. 1989;68:412. Abstract 1845. 21. Aceves Argemí R, González Navarro B, Ochoa García-Seisdedos P, Estrugo Devesa A, López-López J. Mouthwash with alcohol and oral carcinogenesis: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2020;20(2):101407. 22. International Agency For Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: Report of the advisory group to recommend priorities for IARC Monographs during 2015-2019. https://monographs.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/14-002.pdf. Accessed May 12, 2020. 23. Food and Drug Administration. Oral health care drug products for over-the-counter human use; antigingivitis/antiplaque drug products; establishment of a monograph; a proposed rule by the Food and Drug Administration. Federal Register. Part III. 2003;68(103):32232-32287. 24. Cole P, Rodu B, Mathisen A. Alcohol-containing mouthwash and oropharyngeal cancer: a review of the epidemiology. J Am Dent Assoc. 2003;134(8):1079-1087. 25. La Vecchia C. Mouthwash and oral cancer risk: an update. Oral Oncol. 2009;45(3):198-200. 26. Boyle P, Gandini S, Boffetta P, Negri E, La Vecchia C. Mouthwash use and oral cancer risk: quantitative meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2011;112(6):e130. 27. Pelino JEP, Passero A, Martin AA, Charles CA. In vitro effects of alcohol-containing mouthwashes on human enamel and restorative materials. Braz Oral Res. 2018;32:e25. 28. Ciancio SG, Lauciello F, Shibly O, Vitello M, Mather M. The effect of an antiseptic mouthrinse on implant maintenance; plaque and peri-implant gingival tissues. J Periodontol. 1995;66(11):962-965.