The role of alcohol

Alcohol: How an inactive ingredient delivers the active ingredients 

 LISTERINE^® Antiseptic’s alcohol-containing products use only pharmacopoeial (USP) grade alcohol. Even though alcohol is an inactive ingredient, it plays two very important roles that contribute to the effectiveness of LISTERINE^® Antiseptic rinses: 

• Alcohol acts as a solvent to help solubilize the ingredients 

• Alcohol also acts as a vehicle for delivering the active ingredients 

• Alcohol enables the 3 Essential Oils to penetrate the plaque biofilm or bacterial communities

For more information about the safety and tolerability of LISTERINE^® brand rinses click here.

To go deeper into the science behind LISTERINE^® products, you can explore the clinical data by clicking here. 

You can also learn more about the 6-month clinical studies where LISTERINE^® Antiseptic rinses demonstrated a significant reduction in gingivitis by clicking here.