Mouthwash Products Elevate Risk of Oral Cancer by 900 Percent
The use of mouthwashes that contain alcohol as an ingredient can drastically increase a person’s risk of cancers of the mouth, head and neck.
Researchers examined the use of mouthwash among 3,210 people and then compared it with rates of mouth, head and neck cancers.
The researchers found that all participants who used an alcohol-containing mouthwash at least once per day had a significantly increased risk of cancer. Those who both used alcohol-containing mouthwash and regularly drank alcoholic beverages had five times the risk of cancers of the larynx, pharynx or oral cavity. The cancer risks for people who smoked and used alcohol-containing mouthwashes was nine times more.
The body breaks down alcohol into a carcinogenic compound called acetaldehyde. Because of the way that mouthwash is swished around, acetaldehyde may thereby accumulate in the oral cavity.
Researchers also believe that alcohol makes mucus membranes more permeable to other chemicals, allowing nicotine and other carcinogens increased access to the body’s tissues.
