• 5/11/2005
  • Rochester, MN
  • Mayo Clinic Staff
  • Mayo Clinic Medical Services

Question:

My dentist told me to avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol because it increases the risk of cancer. Is alcohol in mouthwash harmful?

Mayo Clinic Staff Response:

Alcohol and tobacco are the two main risk factors for head and neck cancer. If you use one or the other, you have an increased risk. If you use both, your risk is even higher. Because many mouthwashes contain alcohol, concerns have been raised about whether the use of these mouthwashes may increase the risk of head and neck cancer. But there’s no clear evidence that this is true.

If you don’t drink alcohol or use tobacco, your risk of head or neck cancer from using alcohol-based mouthwashes is likely very small. If you already use tobacco and alcohol, stop using tobacco and reduce the overall amount of alcohol you drink.