Bacterial plaque can adhere to materials used in fixed orthodontic treatment. Several studies have reported the chemical control that mouthwashes provide with respect to the reduction of bacterial strains. The objective of the present investigation was to review the bibliographic evidence regarding bacterial adhesion that occurs during orthodontic treatment and the role of mouthwashes with respect to plaque control. Electronic search expressions were used in the following databases PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, Science Direct and Virtual Health Library, retrieving a total of 43 articles on which this review was based. There is information available regarding oral mouthwashes, which allow the professional to prescribe or indicate an oral mouthwash with fewer side effects, but with the same antibacterial efficacy of chlorhexidine. In this sense, an interesting option is the rinses of natural origin, which have been successfully tested in experimental studies. © 2022. Journal of International Dental and Medical Research. All Rights Reserved.