Is it harmful to use anti-inflammatory mouthwash frequently?

Occasional use of anti-inflammatory mouthwash does not harm the oral cavity, but if used frequently, it may cause an imbalance in the oral flora, which can cause greater harm to oral health and even have the risk of cancer. Therefore, try to use anti-inflammatory mouthwash as little as possible in daily life, unless you have some dental diseases, oral ulcers, or periodontitis, then you can use some anti-inflammatory mouthwash appropriately.

Is it harmful to use anti-inflammatory mouthwash frequently?

Mouthwashes are divided into two categories: health-preserving and therapeutic. Health-care mouthwash generally has a comfortable taste and its main ingredient is oral freshener, which is used to remove bad breath. Therefore, no special guidance is required and there is no restriction on the users.

However, therapeutic mouthwashes contain anti-inflammatory and bactericidal drug ingredients such as chlorhexidine and complex iodine, and should not be used casually. This type of mouthwash can prevent and control periodontal tissue inflammation, so it is used as an auxiliary treatment for periodontal disease and oral mucosal diseases.

However, there are also some normal bacteria in the mouth of healthy people. Long-term use of medicated mouthwash with bactericidal effect will cause a certain type of bacteria to be over-suppressed, thereby causing an imbalance of oral flora, which is not conducive to oral health.

In addition, long-term use of chlorhexidine can easily stain the teeth and oral mucosa, reduce the taste buds, and inhibit the secretion of saliva, causing uncomfortable symptoms such as dry mouth and burning pain. Therefore, medicated mouthwash needs to be used selectively under the guidance of a doctor and cannot be used for a long time on your own.

Using mouthwash more than three times a day may increase cancer risk

Studies have shown that poor oral health, lack of regular dental examinations, drinking and smoking are the four most common factors that can lead to oral cancer. However, the harm of mouthwash should not be underestimated. Using mouthwash more than three times a day may greatly increase people's risk of oral cancer.

Because mouthwash contains a lot of alcohol, when you use it, you let it stay in the mouth for a long time, and the alcohol in it can easily turn into acetaldehyde.

In foreign countries, some popular mouthwashes have an alcohol content of up to 26%, even higher than red wine and beer. In this case, using mouthwash too frequently may be mistaken for drunk driving.

Nowadays, there are many types of mouthwash on the market, and many consumers like to use it to keep their breath fresh. However, experts from China Food Network said that it is best to use mouthwash less often.

It is understood that mouthwash is non-drug and its main function is to eliminate bad breath. Its function is similar to chewing gum and there is no restriction on the users. There are also medicinal ones, which are mainly sold in pharmacies and are used to treat oral inflammation such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and oral ulcers.

However, experts remind consumers that in addition to medicinal mouthwashes, many "Xiao"-labeled mouthwashes are actually medicines. Since it is more difficult for these manufacturers to declare them as medicines, they have instead declared them as "Xiao"-labeled.