While your mint mouthwash isn’t a mojito, many types contain alcohol. So what use does the chemical have in cleaning our mouths?

At the dawn of the United States, before modern dentistry had evolved, tooth pain could reach historic levels. Nearly every U.S. schoolchild has heard the story of George Washington and his wooden teeth. While the story has gained a level of fiction in the style of tall tales—the false teeth he had were not wooden—the…