ScienceInsider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Shutterstock/Business Insider
- Used in tandem with brushing, flossing, and avoiding salt water taffy before bed, a good mouthwash can play a pivotal role in your oral health and hygiene regimen.
- Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash is our top choice thanks to its ADA-accepted, clinically-proven ability to kill off germs that contribute to plaque buildup, bad breath, and gum disease.
Every time you gargle an ounce or two of mouthwash about after a meal or just before bed, you might think you're benefiting from the latest advances in chemistry and medical science. In fact, people have been using varieties of mouthwash for millennia.
The history of mouthwash can be traced back more than 4,000 years, with ancient Chinese and Indian texts containing references to liquids used for sanitation of the mouth, though exactly what they were swishing is a mystery today. Some Ancient Romans reportedly used urine as an oral disinfectant (and, for some reason, primarily used Portuguese urine), while many Pre-Columbian Mesoamericans used rinses made of salt water often infused with plant extracts both to cleanse their teeth and to soothe aches and pains in the mouth.
In the latter half of the 19th century, the pioneering work of Sir Joseph Lister would change the way people performed surgery, with the medical community adhering to new standards of cleanliness and adopting the use of antiseptics in all surgical procedures. While first applied to an antiseptic used to sterilize surgical instruments, today the eponymous Listerine is arguably the most famous brand of mouthwash. Although Listerine has long been my household's go-to mouthwash choice, it might not be right for yours. Why? Because that stuff's intense, man, no two ways about it.
But don't worry, there are myriad brands of mouthwash out there, and many are specially formulated to appeal to narrow sectors within the oral care marketplace. So whether you're looking for intense, eye-watering rinse mouthwash that lets you know you just must be slaughtering bacteria by the millions or you prefer a gentler, more palatable rinse that won't feel like breathing fire, we've found an option for you. Whether you prefer an all-natural mouthwash made with ingredients you can readily pronounce or you want to go full-on science and trust the methyl salicylate and propylene glycol to do their thing, then you're looking in the right place.
Here are the best mouthwash brands you can buy:
- Best mouthwash overall: Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash
- Best mouthwash for fresh breath: Crest Scope Outlast Mouthwash
- Best gentle mouthwash: CloSYS Gentle Mint Mouthwash
- Best natural mouthwash: Uncle Harry's Natural Products Miracle Mouthwash
- Best fluoride mouthwash: ACT Anticavity Flouride Rinse Mouthwash
Updated on 5/17/2019 by Les Shu: Updated links, formatting, and prices.
Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.