Mouthwash increases the risk of heart attack, stroke?

Scientists warn that using mouthwash can be disastrous for your health as it increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

According to researchers, the antiseptic in mouthwash kills beneficial bacteria needed for blood vessel dilation, leading to an abnormal increase in blood pressure. Photo: Corbis

In a new trial from Queen Mary University of London, healthy volunteers used Corsodyl mouthwash, a product containing the powerful antibacterial chlorhexidine, twice daily.

The results showed that the volunteers' blood pressure increased by 2 - 3.5 units (mmHg) in just a few hours. Meanwhile, according to a separate study, a 2-unit increase in blood pressure means a 7% increase in the risk of dying from heart disease and a 10% increase in the risk of dying from stroke.

Writing in the journal Free Radical Biology And Medicine, the researchers said the blood pressure-raising effect began to appear within a day of using the mouthwash. They believe this is because the mouthwash kills the good bacteria that help blood vessels relax, leading to increased blood pressure.

The antiseptic chlorhexidine in Corsodyl mouthwash is currently 0.2% by volume. While it helps prevent and stop gum disease, chlorhexidine also eliminates bacteria that are needed to produce nitrites, which are essential for proper blood vessel dilation. Studies have shown that chlorhexidine mouthwash reduces nitrite production in the mouth by more than 90%, leading to a 25% reduction in blood nitrites.

Not all mouthwashes contain chlorhexidine. However, Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, who led the study at Queen Mary University, said other mouthwashes could also destroy healthy bacteria.

Professor Ahluwalia has criticised the growing use of antiseptic mouthwashes. More than half of British adults now regularly use mouthwash, creating a market worth up to £200 million a year.

"Killing out all the good bacteria every day would be disastrous, because even small increases in blood pressure can have a significant impact on disease severity and risk of death from heart disease and stroke," says researcher Ahluwalia.

However, some dentists say caution is needed when drawing such conclusions from such a small study. A spokesperson for the mouthwash manufacturer Corsodyl also asserted that their study did not find any worrying points regarding a direct link between the use of the product and increased blood pressure.

According to vietnamnet