Should You Switch to Alcohol-Free Mouthwash?

Did you ever wonder why babies don't have bad breath? Sure, they don't drink coffee, smoke cigarettes or eat garlicky foods. But the main reason babies have sweet-smelling breath is because they produce a lot of saliva, according to NYU germ expert, Dr. Phillip Tierno, who cites babies' constant drooling as evidence in an ABC news report.

In contrast, many adults not only consume substances that dry out their mouths, they also use mouthwashes that contain saliva-suppressing alcohol. Ironically, the remedy adults use to sweeten their breath-mouthwash that contains alcohol-may ultimately contribute to the very "bad breath" they seek to avoid.

Dr. Philip Stemmer, a London dentist who specializes in fresh breath, argues that alcohol in mouthwash not only reduces saliva production, but compounds the dryness problem by pulling moisture out of the mouth's tissues. This two-pronged assault creates a Sahara desert in the mouth, causing it to become a hangout for bad-breath-causing bacteria.

While drying out the mouth is one of the main reasons for avoiding alcohol-containing mouthwash, critics of such mouthwashes offer additional reasons to switch to a mouthwash that is alcohol-free.

Mouthwash containing alcohol could cause oral cancer. While no study conclusively proves that using mouthwash containing alcohol causes oral cancer, some health experts believe it can. One reason is that when alcohol breaks down in the mouth, it releases a carcinogenic chemical called acetaldehyde, according to Professor Michael McCullough of Melbourne University. He adds that some mouthwashes contain more than twice the amount of alcohol as wine, a beverage linked to higher risk of oral cancer.

Mouthwash containing alcohol could be addictive. Though most people using mouthwash that contains alcohol will not have to rush off to an AA meeting, "some mouthwashes are so strong that there have been cases of alcoholics becoming addicted to the products," according to a Daily Mail report.

Mouthwash containing alcohol could harm children's health. Very few parents would leave a bottle of vodka on the bathroom counter but think nothing of leaving out their alcohol-containing mouthwash in reach of curious children. Children who drink mouthwash containing alcohol could get sick or go into a coma because the livers of children do not filter out toxins as well as those of adults. Even though the directions on the mouthwash bottle instruct users to gargle and spit out the mouthwash, Dr. Susan Karabin, president of the American Academy of Periodontology, points out in a Newsweek article, "Children don't tend to use things as directed."

Does alcohol-free mouthwash really work?

Proponents of alcohol-free mouthwashes claim they do a satisfactory job of creating a fresh-breath feeling without drying out the mouth or risking one's health. In addition, dentists and other oral care experts recommend drinking lots of water to flush out food particles that could settle in the mouth; flossing between the teeth to remove germ-riddled plaque; and implementing a two-minute teeth brushing routine twice a day, followed by a thorough brushing or scraping of the tongue, to scrub away bacteria.

Sources:
"Myth: Mouthwashes Eliminate Bad Breath," ABC News.

Peta Bee, "As research shows mouthwash contains TWICE the alcohol of wine, could you be gargling your way to cancer?" Daily Mail.

"The Mouthwash Debate: Does it cure bad breath? What you should know," Newsweek.