New study links regular mouthwash use to elevated diabetes risk

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A new study has linked regular mouthwash use to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers from Harvard University’s School of Public Health claim that using mouthwash twice a day can have a significant impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study shows that those who rinse with mouthwash twice a day have a 55 percent higher risk of developing symptoms of prediabetes. This is the first study to indicate the potentially negative impact of using mouthwash.

The authors of the study claim that mouthwash kills bacteria, which can be both positive and negative. Dr Joshipura, a professor of epidemiology at the university, suggests that mouthwash doesn’t target specific bacteria and this may result in the destruction of strains that could potentially be beneficial for our health.

During the study period, the team analysed data from 1,206 people who were deemed overweight and at risk of developing diabetes. All the participants were aged between 40 and 65 years old. Over the course of the research period, 17 percent of those involved developed diabetes or prediabetes. However, rates were higher among those who used mouthwash. One fifth of people who used mouthwash once a day and 30 percent of those who used mouthwash twice a day developed diabetes.

It is thought that some forms of bacteria found in the mouth can help to protect the body against obesity and type 2 diabetes by producing nitric oxide, a chemical, which is involved in metabolic processes and the regulation of insulin.

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