According to one study, Listerine can increase the number of cancer-causing bacteria

A mouthwash is supposed to fight bacteria that toothbrushes can’t. For many people, flossing is part of their daily dental care routine. But mouthwash can have the opposite effect and can even be as dangerous as the current one Study by the Institute for Tropical Medicine In Belgium.

Researchers found that after three months of daily use of Listerine Cool Mint, two types of bacteria, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus anginosus, were more common. Both of these are associated with esophageal and colon cancer.

That’s why most people shouldn’t use the product, he said “The Daily Telegraph” Professor Chris Kenyon worked on the study. Listerine is one of the most popular mouthwash brands and is also available in Switzerland.

Kenyon suspects that the alcohol in mouthwash may increase the amount of bacteria. So, he recommends using non-alcoholic options and limiting consumption for a few days.

Kenyon actually wanted to study the effects of daily mouthwash use on the risk of sexually transmitted diseases in homosexual men. 59 participants used Listerine daily for three months, followed by three months of placebo mouthwash.

The researcher thinks he would have found the same amount of bacteria with other alcohol-containing mouthwashes.

A spokesperson for Listerine company Kenvue told MailOnline: “We are constantly evaluating the latest scientific findings. There is no evidence that Listerine causes cancer.

Over a century there have been hundreds of peer-reviewed publications of studies on Listerine’s effects on oral health. This makes Listerine one of the most intensively tested mouthwash brands in the world.

Joe Brooks, a dentist from Britain’s Plymouth University, believes that one study alone does not prove that mouthwash actually causes cancer. “Daily Mail” He says.

However, high alcohol and antiseptic mouthwashes can destroy the microbes in the oral cavity, killing not only the bad bacteria, but also the good, health-promoting bacteria. Therefore, he also advises against alcohol-based and antiseptic mouthwashes.

Older studies show that antiseptic mouthwashes increase the risk of diabetes and lead to blood poisoning by killing bacteria important for nitric acid production.

Evidence is mounting that links gum disease to uncontrolled diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Brooks said. Prevention should be achieved with adequate dental hygiene and not by mouthwash.