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#87967 01-13-2009 12:58 PM
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Cookey Offline OP
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This article appeared in just about every daily newspaper in the uk today.
Mouthwash 'can cause oral cancer'
Some mouthwashes can contribute to oral cancer and should only be available on prescription, researchers have claimed.

Last Updated: 6:34PM GMT 12 Jan 2009

Researchers claim "sufficient evidence" that mouthwashes containing alcohol contribute to an increased risk of cancer, and that they should be taken off supermarket shelves and labelled with health warnings. They claimed there was now "sufficient evidence" that mouthwashes containing alcohol contribute to an increased risk of the disease that they should be taken off supermarket shelves and labelled with health warnings.

In a review of the latest studies, the scientists found evidence that the ethanol in mouthwash was allowing cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and therefore cause harm.

Professor Michael McCulloch, chairman of the Australian Dental Association's therapeutics committee and associate professor of oral medicine at Melbourne University, said the alcohol in mouthwashes "increases the permeability of the mucosa" to carcinogens like nicotine.

He added that a toxic breakdown product of alcohol called acetaldehyde that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth is also a carcinogen.

Prof McCullough said: "We see people with oral cancer who have no other risk factors than the use of alcohol-containing mouthwash, so what we've done in this study is review all the evidence that's out there.

"We believe there should be warnings. If it was a facial cream that had the effect of reducing acne but had a four-to-five-fold increased risk of skin cancer, no one would be recommending it."

Some mouthwash can contain as much as 26 per cent alcohol.

The findings, published in the Dental Journal of Australia, said the most popular mouthwashes contained higher concentrations of alcohol than drinks such as wine or beer.

Prof McCullough said: "If you have a glass of wine, you tend to swallow it. With mouthwash you have a higher level of alcohol and spend longer swishing it around your mouth. The alcohol present in your mouth is turned into acetaldehyde."

He said regular alcohol consumption was a cancer risk - but usually did not involve swishing it around the mouth.

Eating while drinking increased salivation which lowered the risks, he said.

Oral cancer is a mutilating disease that afflicts thousands of people each year and kills half of them within five years of being diagnosed.

Smoking and alcohol consumption are well-established risk factors, but the use of mouthwash containing alcohol is more controversial.

Prof McCullough and co-author Dr Camile Farah, director of research at the University of Queensland's School of Dentistry, recommended mouthwash be restricted to "short-term" medical use or replaced by alcohol-free versions.

Dr Neil Hewson, of the Australian Dental Association, said: "It hasn't actually been established there is a direct relationship between mouthwashes with alcohol and oral cancer."

He said if people floss their teeth, brush properly and have a good diet they should not need mouthwash at all.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4223380/Mouthwash-can-cause-oral-cancer.html
Mouth cancer link to alcohol

Last edited by Cookey; 01-13-2009 12:59 PM.

Liz in the UK

Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.

Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
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We've suspected this risk factor here for quite some time and there have been numerous discussions about alcohol containing mouthwash. Not only is it a risk for Oral cancer patients but for alcoholics as well. It also drys out the mouth. It's about time there was some solid evidence.

They can add some cold remedies to this as well, some of them also have very high alcohol contents. Nyquil being one of them.


Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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I find this interesting as my sore in my mouth grew I used regular mouth wash almost 10-15 times a day to try to get rid of it when in fact I was probably made it grow.. Of course this is before I knew it was cancer and before I found this site...Live and learn...I wish I would have even had a clue!


Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
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I used Listerine for years and years and years and I would tend to leave it in my mouth for 10 mins or so several times a day thinking the longer and more often the better. When I was told my cancer was caused by tobacco and alcohol (way before I was tested for HPV) I told my docs that I didn't smoke at all and only drank socially and I did mention my heavy Listerine use and they brushed that off quicker than you would swat a noseeum.

Post Tx I was told not to use a mouthwash with alcohol only because it would dry my mouth out.

I wonder if perhaps alcohol plays a role in HPV's ability to do it's thing?


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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There was something on the news this evening about mouthwash. I was busy and missed a lot of it. It does make sense if you give it some thought.


Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
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all i heard on our news about it was to limit the use to short term if the mouthwash has alcohol in it ... or better yet, to use one with no alcohol. they said it increases the risk of OC


Rita - Age 44
wife, mother of 4 - ages 3,16,21,24 & grandma to 1
(R upper) Maxillectomy 8/8/08 - UW / Seattle, WA.

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"Those who think by the inch and speak by the yard, should be kicked by the foot."


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David your last question is one I have been considering for a long time.....


Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
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When my brother was diagnosed with tongue cancer, he was asked about alcohol use. He was a casual drinker but that is it.

When it came out that he was a heavy, heavy listerine user for about 20 years, in fact he rinsed about 3-4 times a day and left it in his mouth for minutes at a time, his doctor said it could have played a large part.

He could not say definitely, but my brother seemed convinced tht was it.

Since his diagnosis we all switched to Crest pro-health, just in case. We were not heavy users like him, but why take a chance? It does the same thing but with no alcohol.

I know that everyday there will be something that is linked to cancer and panic will set in, but this is a small change and it does make sense with the alcohol.

Again, it comes down to moderation of anything, my brother overused the product, whether it was the cause or not, it could still not be good for you to use it excessively.

But . . . . . .

Susan


Susan Lauria - OCF Director of Events - Always looking for volunteers to help spread the word about early detection! Contact me if you can help!

*Brother passed away from tongue cancer in 2006 at age 47, was co-caregiver, he was non-smoker/casual drinker

LETS MAKE ORAL CANCER HISTORY!
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We have been sitting on this news story at OCF for about a week. It appears that there has been some controversy in the data collected, and a paper published this week with a scientifically opposing viewpoint. I want to see that you get the BEST information possible, and anytime that something seems sensational, the news services picks up fast. I will put both stories up together when the second comes in so that we can see both sides of the story....

Obviously this has been, at very least, urban myth for over a decade if you had not heard this before. And as an FDA approved product, they will no doubt be weighing in soon on the quality of the science that produced this study.


Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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i could be wrong but i think there is a big difference between the way alcohol in listerine and the way a bottle of jack daniels is produced...i was a heavy user of listerine like your brother and i don't see it causing my cancer...i would take the radiation produced from my cell phone over the listerine...no proven cases


7-16-08 age 37@Dx, T3N0M0 SCC 4.778cm tumor, left side of oral tongue, non smoker, casual drinker, I am the 4th in my family to have H&N cancer
8-13-08 left neck dissection and 40% of tongue removed, submandibular salivary gland & 14 nodes clean, no chemo, IMRTx35
11-4-08 Recovering & feeling better
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