Listerine is a brand of antiseptic mouthwash that is promoted with the slogan "Kills germs that cause bad breath". Named after Joseph Lister, who pioneered antiseptic surgery at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland, Listerine was developed in 1879 by Joseph Lawrence, a chemist in St. Louis, Missouri.
Various Listerine products in Canada
1925 advertisement
Glass bottle with paper label. The screw top indicates that the bottle was manufactured post-1920s.
Mouthwash, mouth rinse, oral rinse, or mouth bath is a liquid which is held in the mouth passively or swirled around the mouth by contraction of the perioral muscles and/or movement of the head, and may be gargled, where the head is tilted back and the liquid bubbled at the back of the mouth.
Range of mouthwashes by Listerine
Listerine advertisement, 1932
Swedish ad for toiletries, 1905/1906
An example of a commercial mouthwash brand which is alcohol-free