Alcohol in Mouthwash

A new report released by Australian Scientist, Professor Michael McCullough has found that there is significant evidence that mouthwashes containing alcohol can increase the risk of oral cancer and has therefore advised that they should be removed from supermarket shelves. Trust William have a natural alternative: our Aloe Dent Mouthwash is highly effective and is alcohol and saccharin free.
Most of the popular brands in the UK have a typical volume of about 27% - more potent than a bottle of Sherry, which is also risky for pregnant women and children. Professor Michael McCulloch, chairman of the Australian Dental Association's therapeutics committee and associate professor of oral medicine at Melbourne University, said alcohol in mouthwashes "increases the permeability of the mucosa" to carcinogens like nicotine. He added “The alcohol present in your mouth is turned into acetaldehyde that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth is also a carcinogen.”
Cancer Research UK has expressed concerns about alcohol in mouthwash and a possible link with oral cancer. Alcohol is the second major risk factor for the disease and whereas a sip of wine may be held in the mouth for a second or two, mouthwash is sloshed and gargled for up to 30 seconds. The charity’s advice is “the avoidance of high-alcoholic mouthwashes seems prudent”.

Alcohol is not used to kill bacteria as one may think but added to mouthwash to act as a carrier for the essential oils and active ingredients. However, this is completely unnecessary according to Emma Allen one of Trust William’s technical advisors. She states “Our Aloe Dent Mouthwash is an alcohol free alternative which uses other ingredients, such as polysorbates, as a carrier for the herbal extracts and essential oils. Polysorbates are a class of emulsifiers used in food preparation. Aloe Dent therefore provides consumers with a natural alternative to mouthwashes that contain alcohol.”