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For the Listerine part: they are referencing this study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16373688/ that seems to show a correlation between poor oral health and sudden cardiac death, so it might help indeed, with other good oral health practices.

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I only use very dilute Listerine - for the fluoride. A dentist told me that undiluted, alcohol based products can cause tissue damage (which conceivably would result in a vector for oral bacteria infiltrating to the bloodstream?)

Most Listerine products do not contain fluoride. Additionally, there are a variety of readily available alcohol-free mouthwashes that have fluoride.

Alcohol-free mouthwash is even more likely to cause tissue damage because they almost all contain SLS. Some people are more sensitive to it than others (causing the mucosa to peel) but it causes mild damage to everybody.

Almost all? I just checked and Act, Crest, CloSYS and many others are all SLS-free and alcohol-free. The only one with SLS I could find is Listerine Cool Mint.

Maybe you’re thinking toothpastes? SLS in toothpaste is indeed hard to avoid.

the purple one does. That's what the dentist recommended

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