Mouthwashes are being used since thousands of years now. Before the availability of the commercialised mouthwashes, people had been using various methods to wash their mouth. Mixture of salt, vinegar and alum was used by the Europeans. Native Americas used plants for oral hygiene and dental care . In India oil pulling has been used as a technique to cleanse the mouth from bacteria and inflammations. It also helps in whitening , strengthening and healing of the teeth. Alcohol based mouthwashes are not necessarily always the best thing to use. A lot of times they kill the good bacteria which is required for digestion or to fight against the bad ones. But alcohol kills them too along with the bad ones. Alcohol also reduces the production of nitrates, which creates inefficiency of blood vessels to expand & contract. It may also lead to cardiovascular disease. If you are having problems of mouth sores, then alcohol-based mouthwashes can increase the problem. Alcohol tends to dry o...