Johnson and Johnson announces ADA mouthwash recommendation

Johnson & Johnson has announced the issuing of new advice from the American Dental Association (ADA) advising consumers to use an antimicrobial mouthwash approved by the organisation to reduce the accumulation of plaque and reduce the risks of contracting gingivitis.

The sole ADA-approved over-the-counter antimicrobial mouthwash is the company’s Listerine Antiseptic, which the firm reports has been clinically proven to reduce gum inflammation arising from the accretion of plaque along the gumline.

Listerine contains a mix of four essential oils, was first sold in 1879 and is currently manufactured by McNeil-PPC, a Johnson & Johnson company.

Dr Sebastian G Ciancio, chair of the department of periodontics and endodontics at the University of Buffalo SUNY School of Dental Medicine, said: “The ADA’s emphasis on the value of antimicrobial mouthrinses is consistent with the existing scientific research.”

He added that this research has clearly revealed the function of bacteria in the advance of gum disease and the efficacy of using antimicrobial mouthwash as a means of killing these bacteria.

Johnson & Johnson acquired Listerine with the $16.6 billion (9.1 billion pound) acquisition of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare announced in June 2006, with the firm also purchasing Benadryl, Nicorette, Sudafed and Zantac as part of this transaction.