Daily use of mouthwash has been linked to increased incidents of oral cancer, erosion of tooth enamel, increased tooth sensitivity, and higher levels of bad breath according to recent studies. In the first study, researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil reviewed case-control studies from 1998 to 2002. Detailed information on smoking, alcohol consumption, schooling, and oral health and hygiene were obtained through interviews. Results indicated that daily mouthwash use was strongly associated with cancer of the pharynx and also associated with cancer of the mouth.
Low pH indicates high acidity levels. Most common mouthwash products sold at traditional retail outlets are highly acidic. Listerine has a pH of 4.3, and Scope has a pH of 5.0. Neutral pH is 7.0 with declining values indicating increased levels of acidity. Healthy body saliva has a pH of 6.4 to 6.8.
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.
Most people use mouthwash to eliminate bad breath caused by food stuck between the teeth and bacteria which feed off this accumulation of food. But experts say that mouthwash doesn’t live up to its reputation. It works for a short period of time by killing lots of germs. But this is followed by the high alcohol content drying out the mouth. When saliva glands are dry, they are unable to help wash away bacteria, so it flourishes and causes even more bad breath. This is why babies always have sweet smelling breath since they produce so much saliva and drool a lot.
So, mouthwash may make your breath smell better for a short period of time, but what have you done to your immune system, esophagus and stomach lining? And what about that chemical soup your liver is required to detoxify? Do you really need to add more chemicals to the toxic overload your body has to cope with daily?
There are some new products on the market that help solve a bad breath situation in a health promoting manner. Spry and Peelu are two companies that each make a line of products sweetened with xylitol that includes chewing gum, toothpaste, oral rinse, and mints. These companies cite studies that have shown xylitol to help reduce the occurrence of cavities and improve overall oral health as well as sweeten breath.