Mouthwash Could Kill Beneficial Bacteria, Triggering Diabetes

A new study from Harvard University says that using mouthwash after brushing may kill beneficial bacteria, leading to diabetes. The study found that people who use mouthwash twice a day were about 55 percent more likely to develop diabetes or dangerous blood sugar levels.

The study, which leads on from previous studies showing oral hygiene to be an important indicator of health problems, including diabetes, finds that too much of a good thing is also not good.

The Harvard School of Public Health found that the antibacterial ingredients in mouthwash are non-selective.

Those ingredients kill beneficial as well as harmful bacteria in the mouth. Some of those beneficial bacteria are linked to blood sugar regulation and insulin production triggering.

The study looked at 1,206 people who were overweight and aged between 40 and 65, all of which were at risk of getting diabetes. The study found that about 17 percent of those people developed diabetes or pre-diabetes. About 20 percent of those using mouthwash daily became diabetic or pre-diabetic and about 30 percent of those who used it twice daily became diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Some of the helpful bacteria being effected by the antimicrobial properties of mouthwash include some which help the body produce nitric oxide, which regulates insulin levels. This important microbe helps regulate metabolism.

The researchers cautiously recommend that people use mouthwash once daily, if at all, until further study can be done. Most dental associations do not list mouthwash as a recommended daily oral hygiene item.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk