A common ingredient in mouthwash brands could be damaging your teeth by turning your saliva more acidic, scientists claim. Researchers at the University of Plymouth examined the effect of chlorhexidine mouthwash on the bacteria found within the mouths of volunteersThe work, published in Scientific Reports, involved participants being given a placebo mouthwash to use for seven days and then a chlorhexidine mouthwash. Teeth by numbers Adults have 32 teeth but after the removal of wisdom teeth, that number falls to 28 if all are extracted. If saliva pH is too low, damage can occur to the teeth and mucosa – tissue surrounding the teeth and on the inside of the mouth. Lower saliva and blood plasma nitrite concentrations were found after using chlorhexidine mouthwash.

Source: Daily Mail March 24, 2020 16:17 UTC