Over 100 Years of Safe Use
The original amber-colored LISTERINE® mouthwash was formulated in 1879 by
Dr. Joseph Lawrence and Jordan Wheat Lambert as a disinfectant for surgical
procedures. Lawrence and Lambert named their new product LISTERINE®
after the English physician Sir Joseph Lister who had performed the first ever
antiseptic surgery in 1865.
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In 1884, Jordan Wheat Lambert formed the Lambert Company to manufacture and
market LISTERINE® to the medical community as an antiseptic.
LISTERINE® Founds the Mouthwash Category
LISTERINE® mouthwash was also discovered to be excellent for killing germs
commonly found in the mouth. In 1895, the Lambert Company extended the sale of
LISTERINE® mouthwash to the dental profession as a powerful oral
antiseptic. By 1914, the LISTERINE® formula was so effective and
popular that it became one of the first prescription products to be available
over the counter.
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1930 Advertisement for LISTERINE®
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It wasn't long before other mouthwashes entered the market. Gerald Lambert, the
founder's son, strengthened the LISTERINE® brand with a classic
advertising campaign that introduced Americans to 'halitosis' (Latin for
unpleasant breath). For the next sixty years, LISTERINE® continued
to be positioned as the bad breath fighter. Then a new claim was introduced in
1983: "LISTERINE® fights plaque." This position differentiated
LISTERINE® mouthwash from the competition and added a new reason to
regularly use the product.
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In 1987, LISTERINE® became the first non-prescription mouthwash
to earn the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance for helping to
prevent and reduce supragingival plaque and gingivitis. This approval
represented a turning point for the brand.
Backed by over 50 years of research and over 100
years of safe use, LISTERINE® products today have been used successfully
by millions of consumers worldwide. It is the most
widely used and extensively
researched over-the-counter mouthrinse in the United States.
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1988 Advertisement for LISTERINE® Antiseptic Mouthrinse
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