Does mouthwash cause cancer?

Does the use of mouthwash cause an increased risk of oral cancer? The question was raised again following the recent release of a European study on oral health and dental hygiene. read more

So the idea that using mouthwash that contains alcohol could increase the risk of mouth cancer does make sense, but the evidence around this link is inconsistent. Scientists have looked at this many times before, and found that there is no real evidence to suggest that using mouthwash can increase the risk of mouth cancer. read more

The question was raised again following the recent release of a European study on oral health and dental hygiene. Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS, takes a look at what evidence shows regarding a possible mouthwash-oral cancer connection. read more

Smoking and alcohol consumption are established risk factors in oral cancer, which is diagnosed in 5,000 people across the UK each year and causes 1,600 deaths. The alcohol in mouthwash is thought to help cancer-causing substances such as nicotine permeate the mouth lining. read more