A study conducted at University of Melbourne claims that mouthwashes containing alcohol can cause oral cancer and should be stopped from being sold to the public.
The scientists who took part in the study claim that there is sufficient evidence to now indicate that alcohol containing mouthwashes increase the risk for oral cancer.
It is suggested that the alcohol in the mouthwash which is present in the form of ethanol facilitates the cancer causing agents to permeate through the lining of the mouth.
Michael McCullough, associate professor of oral medicine at the University of Melbourne, Australia, who led the study, said: “We see people with oral cancer who have no other risk factors than the use of (mouthwash containing alcohol], so what we’ve done is review all the evidence.
“Since this article, further evidence has come out, too. We believe there should be warnings. If it was a facial cream that had the effect of reducing acne but had a four to fivefold increased risk of skin cancer, no-one would be recommending it.”
He said that alcohol in mouthwashes increase the permeability of mucus membrane to carcinogens such as nicotine. Breakdown of alcohol also releases a known toxic product called acetaldehyde which is a carcinogen.
Commercially available mouthwashes contain as much as 26 per cent alcohol.
Smoking and alcohol are universally accepted by scientists as important risk factors in causing cancer but there is no definite stand on alcohol containing mouthwashes.
It is suggested by the researchers of the study that public restrict these alcohol containing mouth washes to short term medical use or replace them by non-alcoholic mouthwashes.
The study was conducted on 3210 people and concluded that daily mouthwashes were a significant risk factor for causing cancer of head and neck irrespective of alcohol or cigarette consumption. Although, smokers were the most at risk and had nine times greater risk of cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and pharynx. People consuming alcohol were 5 times at more risk.
This study has raised an interesting concept never in focus before. Further study will be necessary to establish a definite connection between mouthwashes and cancer.
The spokesperson for manufacturer of Listerine said that there was no scientific evidence to demonstrate an association between alcohol containing mouthwashes such as Listerine and oral cancer.
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