Friday, January 20, 2017

Is Mouthwash Actually Helpful?

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If you run a few searches on Google, you will find that there are many different studies and sites that say that mouthwash is very helpful in conjunction with flossing and brushing. And these studies aren't wrong--mouthwash can kill cavity-causing bacteria. And strangely enough, one Australian study found that it could even kill STI-causing bacteria!

Can Listerine prevent STIs? Researchers want to find out

Rinsing with the antiseptic mouthwash Listerine for one minute can significantly reduce the prevalence of gonorrhea-causing bacteria, according to a new study. Now, researchers want to know whether Listerine can also help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

 

"If Listerine has an inhibitory effect against N. gonorrhoeae in the pharynx, it could be a cheap, easy to use, and potentially effective intervention for gonorrhea prevention and control," wrote the authors, led by Eric Chow, MPH, PhD. Chow is a senior research fellow at the Melbourne Sexual Health Clinic.

 

"The two studies presented here are the first to demonstrate Listerine can inhibit the growth of N. gonorrhoeae in vitro and in a clinical study and raise the potential that it may be useful as a control measure," Chow and colleagues wrote.

So mouthwash is just beneficial, right? Not quite. Since mouthwash is excellent at killing bacteria, it not only takes the bad, but the good as well. Your body actually needs certain kinds of bacteria in the oral cavity and digestive tract to keep everything running smoothly. Drbicuspid.com has more on this topic:

Yes, I tell them antibacterial mouthwash kills bacteria. Yes, bacteria can cause gum disease. Yes, you should want healthy gums.

 

But you know that bacteria serve many purposes in the mouth, when the good bacteria balance out the bad kinds. Healthy gums are dependent on a healthy balance of bacteria. One underrated bacterial benefit is to allow a specific pathway of digestion to occur that is critical for health.

 

Mouth bacteria

When bacteria are killed indiscriminately, both harmful and good bacteria are killed, and the mouth's delicate balance of bacteria goes awry. This means that tooth decay and gum disease may be more likely to occur.

 

To address their concerns, I talk with my patients about the benefits of mouth bacteria and the unique role they play in the chemical pathway of certain foods. Specifically, the chemical pathway of "nitrate-to-nitrite-to-nitric oxide" is dependent on specific anaerobic bacteria in the mouth . . .

 

So I tell my patients, if you kill the bacteria in your mouth and on your tongue with antiseptic mouthwash, salivary nitrates wouldn't be converted into nitrites. With less nitrites in your system, you would produce less beneficial nitric oxide.

It's best to err on the side of caution and ask your dentist whether or not your mouthwash is helping or harming. You can learn about other preventative dentistry methods at allin1dental.com/preventive-dentistry/

Image Credit

Is Mouthwash Actually Helpful? is courtesy of: www.allin1dental.com



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7046 Dublin Blvd
Dublin, CA 94568
(925) 828-9811
info@allin1dental.com

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