Earlier this fall, a class action lawsuit was filed against the ownership of Listerine Cool Mint for its potential relationship to cancer-causing bacteria. Plaintiff Paige Vasseur filed a class action complaint against Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and Kenvue Inc. on September 3, claiming that the company did not warn consumers. The lawsuit hinges on just one study that noted an increase in certain kinds of bacteria in the oral microbiome after using Listerine Cool Mint.
Listerine Lawsuit Claims Mouth Wash Causes Cancer
This small retrospective study conducted on 59 male patients compared their oral microbiomes after using Listerine Cool Mint and a placebo that did not contain alcohol. Their findings, which were gathered over the course of three months, found a difference in Cool Mint Listerine users’ microbiomes. They had more Streptococcus anginosus (S. anginosus) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) than alcohol-free mouthwash users. Both of these bacteria can cause severe invasive infections and have been closely associated with periodontal diseases, oesophageal and colorectal cancer and systemic diseases.
That’s just one small study, but it was enough to lead to a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson. It’s important to note that there is not yet a confirmed connection between Listerine Cool Mint and cancer.
A representative for Listerine told the Daily Mail, “Studies on the impact of Listerine on oral health have been published in hundreds of peer-reviewed publications for more than a century, making it one of the most extensively tested mouthwash brands in the world. We continuously evaluate the latest science and monitor safety signals to evaluate the benefit-risk profile of our products. Listerine is safe when used as directed on the label, and there is no evidence that Listerine causes cancer.”
What Do Dentists Think?
Another analysis published in June 2020 claims that after a systematic review of available research, “There is no sufficient evidence to accept the proposition that the use of mouthwashes containing alcohol can influence the development of oral cancer.”
“I never recommend mouthwash to my patients,” says New York cosmetic dentist, Irene Grafman DDS. “This lawsuit hasn’t changed anything about my recommendations; I don’t think it is a positive addition to an oral health routine.”
“I do recommend using it, but not after brushing as it rinses the active ingredients away,” says Ireland-based dentist and co-founder of Made by Dentists, Dr. Lisa Creaven. “The best time to use it is around lunch time after eating. What to look for is an alcohol free fluoride mouthwash.”
Currently, the American Dental Association offers the ADA Seal of Acceptance on mouthrinse products that are “objectively evaluated for safety and efficacy by an independent body of scientific experts, the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs.”