The twice-a-day bathroom habit linked to nearly double the risk of high blood pressure
The one thing
Cut back on antibacterial mouthwash. Brush and floss instead.
Friendly bacteria on your tongue turn nitrate from vegetables into nitrite, a step your body needs to make nitric oxide. Strong mouthwash wipes those bacteria out.
Do it today
- If you use antibacterial mouthwash twice a day or more, drop to once or stop.
- Keep brushing twice a day and flossing. Those were not linked to the problem.
- If your dentist prescribed a rinse for a specific reason, keep using it and ask them about this.
What the study found
People who used over-the-counter mouthwash at least twice a day developed high blood pressure at a rate 85% higher than less frequent users, and more than double the rate of people who used none.
- Who
- 540 overweight or obese adults aged 40 to 65 in Puerto Rico, none with high blood pressure at the start.
- Type of study
- Observational study (San Juan Overweight Adults Longitudinal Study).
- Keep in mind
- A link, not proof. Earlier small lab studies support the bacteria explanation, but no large trial has tested it directly.
Educational information, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer.