Acid Water Mouthwash Found Safe in Mouse Study
- Authors
- Chiharu Morita, Tetsuya Nishida, Koichi Ito
- Journal
- Archives of Oral Biology
- Year
- 2011
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2010.10.016
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Oral Health
- Body System
- Digestive
TL;DR
Drinking acid electrolyzed water, which has antiseptic properties, appears safe for mice and does not cause any noticeable health issues.
Key Finding
Acid electrolyzed functional water showed no systemic toxicity or significant effects on the digestive tract in mice over eight weeks, with no adverse changes in body weight or oral tissues.
Summary
Researchers gave mice acid electrolyzed functional water (a type of water created through an electrical process) to drink for eight weeks to test whether it was safe. They compared mice drinking this water to mice drinking regular tap water, measuring body weight, checking their mouths, and examining their teeth under a microscope. The mice drinking the special water showed no differences in weight gain, no damage to their mouth tissues, and no tooth surface roughness compared to the control group, though some minor tooth wear was observed.
Practical Takeaway
This mouse study suggests that acid electrolyzed functional water may be safe for use as a mouthwash, though the observation of minor tooth wear warrants attention. Because this research was conducted only in mice, human studies would be needed to confirm whether these safety findings apply to people. The study does not address whether hydrogen water specifically has any health benefits.
Abstract
Objective: Acid electrolyzed functional water has been used in a variety of ways because of its antiseptic action. In the present study, we investigated both the systemic and gastrointestinal effects of ingesting acid electrolyzed functional water, from the perspective of its use in mouthwash. Materials and methods: Seventeen mice (three weeks old) were used in the experiment. Three of the mice (three-week-old group) were euthanized before having been given solid food, whilst the remaining 14 were divided into two groups, one given free access to acid electrolyzed functional water as drinking water (test group) and the other given free access to tap water as drinking water (control group). Changes in body weight, visual inspections of the oral cavity, histopathological tests, and measurements of surface enamel roughness and observations of enamel morphology were recorded after eight weeks. Results: The results showed no significant difference in changes in body weight between the test and control groups. No abnormal findings or measurements were observed for the test group in terms of visual inspections of the oral cavity, histopathological tests, or measurements of surface enamel roughness. In terms of enamel morphology, attrition was seen in the test group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the use of acid electrolyzed functional water has no systemic effect and is safe for use in mouthwash.