Link Between Alcohol Based Mouthwashes and Oral Cancer
Written on February 16, 2009
You may have read in the press recently such as in the link below about some recent research in Australia which concluded that the use of alcohol based mouthwashes increase the risk of oral cancer. It must be reiterated that the results were not conclusive and no direct link was established.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4223380/Mouthwash-can-cause-oral-cancer.
For an assessment of the article, please look at the NHS review in the below link :-
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/01January/Pages/Mouthwashandoralcancer.aspx
The authors report the increased risk of oral cancer with alcohol-containing mouthwash among current smokers only (who are at increased risk of oral cancer). They do not provide results for former smokers or non-smokers. This is important because smoking is the most well-established risk factor for oral cancer. Given that drinking alcohol is the second most important risk factor for oral cancer (source: Cancer Research UK), this is an important discussion, and more research into this is needed.
At the Crofts Dental Practice in Epping, Essex, the mouthwash we recommend for everyday use is Dentyl PH as well as Retardex for bad breath, Both these are alcohol free. This is available from our reception area. Please contact our receptionist on 01992 574004 for more information. We also sometimes recommend mouthwashes with alcohol such as Corsodyl which is for the treatment of gingivitis as well as Sensodyne which is a low-alcohol mouthwash for help with sensitive teeth.
At the Crofts Dental Practice in Epping, we recommend brushing teeth twice daily as well as flossing regularly and visiting our hygienist every six months. This will help maintain your health and limit the need for mouthwash.
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