In a small study done with chlorhexidine mouthwash it was actually confirmed that its use could lead to sexual problems in men as well as high blood pressure.
We all know that the mouth is full of bacteria and that modern oral health care products aimed at providing fresh breath are very adept at trying to get rid of many of these bacteria. However, many of these bacteria are vital to your good health and this study proved it.
When you eat foods high in nitrate such as beets and spinach, the bacteria on the back of your tongue assist in a very important metabolic process that converts the nitrate to blood-vessel dilating nitric oxide.
This nitric oxide is vital for healthy blood pressure and for men to have a healthy sex life. In fact, medications that treat erectile dysfunction increase nitric oxide, which in turn dilate blood vessels.
So….If your mouthwash kills these bacteria it will hinder your body’s ability to create nitric oxide and prevent blood vessels from dilating.
In the study, researchers divided 7 healthy volunteers into two groups. They gave each of the participants either a chorhexidine-containing antibacterial mouthwash or a placebo. They then gave all the participants foods that increased their nitrate load.
The group that used the placebo mouthwash saw an increase in nitrate and nitric oxide load while the others who used the antibacterial mouthwash had a significant reduction in salivary conversion of nitrate to nitric oxide.
You can now see that strong, chemical mouthwashes may be causing more problems than they are curing.
Please remember that halitosis or bad-breath may be a side effect of a more serious health problem and that trying to mask the odor does not get to the underlying cause!
If you or someone you know has a serious breath problem, it is important to visit an oral health care professional to help determine the cause and possible solutions to the problem.
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Until next time,
Kathleen
