Top-selling mouthwash brands linked to oral cancer

Melbourne: Australian health experts have warned that top-selling mouthwashes can cause oral cancer and should be pulled from supermarket shelves immediately. The experts issued the warning after investigating latest scientific evidence linking alcohol-containing mouthwashes to the deadly disease.
    The investigation concludes that there is now 'sufficient evidence' that "alcohol-containing mouthwashes contribute to the increased risk of development of oral cancer".
    The mouthwash contains ethanol, which is believed to allow cancer-causing substances to permeate the lining of the mouth more easily and cause harm. Acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol that may accumulate in the oral cavity when swished around the mouth, is also believed to be carcinogenic. Listerine, the nation's biggestselling mouthwash and a brand endorsed by the Australian Dental Association (ADA), contains as much as 26% alcohol.
    Lead review author Michael McCullough said alcohol-containing mouthwash should be reclassified as prescription-only and carry written health warnings. McCullough, who's also chair of the ADA's therapeutics committee, is calling on the ADA to reassess its approval on mouthwashes containing alcohol. ANI