Mouthwashes increase heart attack risk, scientists claim !

Antiseptic mouthwash has been branded a "disaster" for health by scientists who claim it raises blood pressure increasing the chance of heart attacks and strokes.

Using antiseptic mouthwash can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a new study has found.

Scientists branded the products, regularly used by half a million Britons, a health “disaster” claiming they raised blood pressure by killing off vital bacteria which helps blood vessels to dilate, the Mail on Sunday reported.

Using Corsodyl, which contains a powerful antiseptic and widely available in stores across the UK, can push up blood pressure within hours, the team discovered after testing it on a group of healthy volunteers.

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, who led the study, said: “Killing off all these bugs each day is a disaster, when small rises in blood pressure have significant impact on morbidity and mortality from heart disease and stroke.”

GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures Corsodyl, said it was meant for short-term use to stop plaque and fight gum disease.

The pharmaceutical giant makes another product Corsodyl Daily, which contains just 0.06 per cent chlorhexidine for everyday use.

The spokesman said their own research had “not highlighted any concerns regarding the use of Corsodyl 0.2 per cent mouthwash as directed and increases in blood pressure.”

The mouthwash market is worth an estimated £180 million a year.

Full story here.