Alcohol-containing Mouthwash and Oral Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review

Aim: The aim of this article is to assess any possible risk of oral cancer with increased usage of alcohol-based mouthwashes and to provide relevant information regarding the safety of using alcohol-containing mouth rinses. Materials and Methods: Several controversial studies regarding the prolonged use of such mouthwashes containing >25% alcohol causes oral cancers, have been reviewed and undertaken. Analyzing the number of studies done till date, it showed debatable views on the use of alcohol-containing mouthwashes and its relation with causing oral cancers. Many studies supported the use of alcohol-based mouthwashes can cause oral cancer, while few studies showed no signifi cant relation of mouthwashes with oral cancers. Conclusion: To conclude, the relation between mouthwashes containing alcohol and oral cancers is still a contentious issue in the scientifi c community. On comparing the available reviews, it proved that prolonged use of alcohol-based mouthwashes might cause oral cancers. Thus, it’s advisable for the clinicians to educate patients about the ill-effects of long-term use of alcohol-based mouthwashes and to minimize the number of times it’s used per day. And to prefer the use of nonalcohol-based mouthwashes instead of the former.