Honestly, have you ever just swished with a capful of mouthwash and altogether skipped brushing and flossing for a quick hygiene oral hygiene fix?
If you have, you are not alone. There are still a lot of people who would ditch their toothbrushes and flosses and use mouthwashes alone to mask bad breath and hopefully clean their teeth. Now we all know this won’t do the job, but here’s another reason why you should spit the habit.
A recent study suggests that people who use mouthwash more than three times a day may lead to an increased risk of mouth and throat cancer.
The research team said the possible role of mouthwash as a risk factor would require further research. But Dr David Conway, a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow Dental School, advises that people should not routinely use a mouthwash and stick to brushing and flossing instead.
A recent study suggests that people who use mouthwash more than three times a day may lead to an increased risk of mouth and throat cancer.
Dr. Conway said ‘I would not advise routine use of mouthwash, full stop.
‘There are occasions and conditions for which a dentist could prescribe a mouthwash – it could be that a patient has a low salivary flow because of a particular condition or medicine they are taking.
‘But for me, all that’s necessary in general is good regular brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and flossing combined with regular check-ups by a dentist.’
Dr. Conway added there may be a link between excessive mouthwash rinsing and people who use it to mask the smell of smoking and alcohol – independent risk factors for oral cancer.
Daily Mail UK reports “The research supports an Australian study in 2009, which said there was ‘sufficient evidence’ that mouthwashes containing alcohol contribute to an increased risk of the disease, because they allow cancer-causing substances to penetrate the lining of the mouth more easily.”
The study was carried out by the University of Glasgow Dental School researchers as part of a pan-European collaboration coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and led by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology. The findings of the study are published in the journal Oral Oncology.
