Abstract: An antismoking mouthwash to assist in reducing the smoking habit comprises a stabilized silver nitrate in aqueous solution. The aqueous solution is shelf stabilized with the presence of 0.001 to 0.005 weight percent of nitric acid and protection from exposure to light. The shelf stable solution of silver nitrate is used in a method of aiding in the reduction of the tobacco smoking habit, in a human afflicted with such a habit, by applying the shelf stable solution topically to the mucosa of the oral cavity of the afflicted human under a particular and prescribed application schedule. The aqueous solution is shelf stabilized with the presence of 0.001 to 0.005 weight percent of nitric acid and protection from exposure to light.