Can regular use of mouthwash increase blood pressure?

There is one study indicating that regular use of mouthwash may increase blood pressure. In particular, mouthwashes that contain antibacterial ingredients, such as chlorhexidine, are said to kill not only harmful bacteria in the mouth, but also beneficial bacteria involved in the production of nitric oxide (NO).

Nitric oxide plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure by helping blood vessels relax. When nitric oxide production is reduced, blood vessels are less able to relax, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure.

In the study, researchers found that using an antibacterial mouthwash increased blood pressure in healthy volunteers by disrupting the bacterial conversion of nitrate to nitrite, which is a precursor to nitric oxide. This suggests that frequent use of mouthwashes with antibacterial ingredients could potentially influence blood pressure.

However, the observed increase was only 2 mmHg, which is very small and is likely to have only a very limited impact on cardiovascular risk.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584912018229

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2024-08-01 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024