Khaberni - Clips claiming that mouthwash raises blood pressure and damages heart health spread on social media platforms, based on the idea that these products kill "good" bacteria in the mouth that play a pivotal role in the cardiovascular system, but before you throw your mouthwash in the trash, there are essential details worth reading.
The mouth is not just a cavity
The mouth hosts a diverse community of bacteria known as the oral microbiome, which is a delicate system that prevents the proliferation of harmful organisms and supports essential metabolic functions.
One of the main tasks of these bacteria is to convert dietary nitrates, like those from leafy vegetables, into nitrites, which the body then converts into nitric oxide, a compound that regulates blood pressure and supports the functions of the brain and muscles through what is known as the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway.
What do the studies actually say?
Several studies conducted experiments on small groups, and they reached striking results:
A study on 19 volunteers showed that using chlorhexidine mouthwash for 7 days slightly raised blood pressure and reduced nitrite levels.
An intervention study on 27 healthy adults found that gargling with 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash twice a day for one week significantly raised blood pressure.
An experiment on 15 patients with high blood pressure showed that 3 days of use increased the already high pressure.
However, an important detail missing from most clips on social media is that all these studies used chlorhexidine, which is a strong antiseptic not recommended except for short-term use in cases of gum disease or after surgical interventions.
This antiseptic effectively destroys oral bacteria, which makes it an ideal tool for researchers, but it does not necessarily reflect what normal, mild mouthwash does.
An experiment on 12 healthy adults using 3 types of mouthwashes showed that water and the mild mouthwash free of harsh ingredients maintained the natural conversion of nitrate to nitrite, while the cetylpyridinium chloride mouthwash partially hindered this conversion, and chlorhexidine almost completely stopped it, according to "sciencealert".
In the long term, a study following 354 adults for nearly 19 years concluded that regular oral hygiene, such as brushing and dental floss, was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular death, while the use of different types of mouthwash did not show a significant impact on these outcomes.
