First off, mouthwash (like toothpaste) has a warning on the label that says to contact a poison control center immediately if swallowed. Should we really be putting things with warning labels in our mouths? Much less swishing them around and accidentally swallowing some?
I couldn’t find a huge amount of research into most of the active and inactive ingredients in mouthwash, but what I did find was convincing enough without knowing the effects of all other ingredients.
Alcohol
The alcohol in mouthwash makes it easier for cancer causing substances to penetrate the lining of the mouth and thus enter the body and bloodstream.
Acetaldehyde is a break-down product of alcohol and is a known carcinogen. When swishing alcohol around in your mouth the acetaldehyde can collect in your oral cavity.
According to the National Cancer Institute, mouthwash with over 25% alcohol concentration increases the risk of oral and throat cancer by 60% for men and 90% for women.
A study of over 3,000 people found that using mouthwash regularly significantly increased their risk of head and neck cancer. The risk is nine times greater for those who smoke and five times greater for those who drink (this is because the carcinogens in these substances can penetrate the mucus lining of the mouth more easily).
Blue Dye #1
I wrote a lot about this in regards to toothpaste, so I won’t go into it again, but blue dye #1 and #2 are dangerous for a variety of reasons.
If your mouthwash is not blue that does not mean it does not contain blue dye. Blue is used in combination with other dyes to create a variety of colors (including many you wouldn’t expect). I do not know the risks of every other color of dye, but I will write about that soon.
Methyl Salicylate is toxic and can be fatal in large doses. It’s unlikely that this has any effect in the small quantity in mouthwash, but that depends on how you feel about putting even small amounts of toxins in your body.
Bacterial Intolerance
According to some dentists, using the same mouthwash regularly can result in the remaining percentage of bacteria to become resistant to the mouthwash. This means that “superbugs” can live in your mouth resistant to the effects of your mouthwash.
Alternatives
Here are some cheap and easy alternatives to mouthwash:
1sp of 3% hydrogen peroxide in 1/4 cup of water
1/2 tsp of baking soda in 1/4 cup of water
As much salt as can be dissolved in a cup of warm water (this also works great for sore and/or infected throats. Start gurgling as soon as you feel your throat start to hurt and it can prevent a sore throat from developing).
More Information:
Here are some links about mouthwash and mouthwash alternatives:
http://lesstoxicguide.ca/index.asp?fetch=personal#mouth
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1113422/Mouthwash-causes-oral-cancer-pulled-supermarkets-say-experts.html
Alternative toothpaste and mouthwash recipes (other sites have warned against the use of glycerin as in these recipes, leaving it out will result in a powder instead of a paste but will have no toll on the effectiveness):
http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/teeth/mouth-wash.html
