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Published in the Journal of Herbal Medicine, the study by a team at the University of Sharjah suggests that while garlic-based mouthwash may cause more discomfort than chlorhexidine, it offers longer-lasting residual effects. Chlorhexidine is widely used as a gold standard mouthwash but is associated with side effects and concerns over antimicrobial resistance," the authors note. "Garlic (Allium sativum), known for (its) natural antimicrobial properties, has emerged as a potential alternative." The findings are based on a systematic review of the literature in which the authors compare the antimicrobial efficacy of garlic extract with chlorhexidine in clinical practice, assessing its viability as a herbal substitute. Despite these limitations, the review provides substantial evidence of garlic extract's clinical antimicrobial effectiveness, "with significant reductions in bacterial counts from baseline … suggesting the possible use of garlic extract mouthwash as a viable alternative to chlorhexidine in certain contexts"."