Here’s another interesting, if somewhat old scientific finding.
Now, before you start flippin’ shit about this, it should be noted that it is only the high-alcohol-content mouthwashes (20%+) that have been shown to have this effect. So if you use other stuff, don’t worry, you can still have beautifully fresh breath every day.
Their review, published in the Dental Journal of Australia, concludes there is now “sufficient evidence” that “alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer”.
The ethanol in mouthwash is thought to allow cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and cause harm.
I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise, as both smoking and alcohol consumption have been linked to an increase in cancer risk, this is just another facet to that danger.
And it can mean a toxic breakdown product of alcohol called acetaldehyde – another carcinogen – can accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth.
The review reported evidence from an international study of 3,210 people which found daily mouthwash use was a ’significant risk factor’ for head and neck cancer.
Not only can mouthwash lead to cancers, but it also erodes tooth enamel.
In another study, at the Division of Restorative Dentistry in Bristol, U.K., researchers found that use of low pH mouthwashes cause erosion of dental enamel that is directly correlated to sensitivity in teeth. People with less enamel complained of much greater tooth sensitivity to hot and cold.
The study measured both in situ and in vitro erosion by three low pH mouthwashes. Results showed that enamel loss in situ and in vitro was progressive over time with all three mouthwashes. The team recommended that low pH mouthwashes should not be considered for long term or continuous use and should never be used prior to brushing.
So there you go folks. Am I going to tell you to stop using mouthwash? Hell no. I don’t care, after all, everything causes cancer anymore. The Sun, cooking with the wrong pots, stress. Just spreading the information
Scientific study on Mouthwash and Cancer
