There did not appear to be any correlation between the alcohol content of the mouthwashes and effectiveness. Likewise, there did not appear to be a distinction between generic and name brands. A unique characteristic of the three most effective brands was that they were the only three to contain the compound cetylpyridinium chloride. They are used not only as a method for freshening one's breath, but as a preventative measure against oral bacteria. Patients recovering from oral surgery often use mouthwashes to prevent opportunistic microbial flora.
Mouthwashes also prevent tooth decay, a problem common to all.
Mouthwashes have uses other than oral hygiene. Used in low concentrations, mouthwashes have been used as antibacterial agents to prevent pathogens from reaching patients. This reduces the need to flush the waterlines, thereby saving time and money. It can be easily grown in tryptic soy broth. This experiment studies the in vitro properties of mouthwashes.