title: Can Alcohol Intake from Mouthwash be Measured in Epidemiological Studies? Development and Validation of Mouthwash Use Questionnaire with Particular Attention to Measuring Alcohol Intake from Mouthwash.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the mouthwash use questionnaire to determine the lifetime exposure to alcohol from mouthwash and verify that it was suitable for use in general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were available from three consecutive studies, all collecting information on mouthwash use. In addition, supermarkets and online stores were screened for the brands of mouthwash they sold. Alcohol content of mouthwash was identified from various sources, including laboratory measurements. Alcohol-containing mouthwash use was converted to glasses of wine equivalent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mouthwash was used by 62% of the participants, and the main benefits reported were refreshment of bad breath (75%), elimination of bacteria (68%) and reduction of plaque formation (47%). Majority mouthwashes used by the participants contained alcohol (61%). Life-time exposure from alcohol in mouthwash was relatively small for most of the study participants: 79% had rinsed for less than one year with alcohol equivalent of one glass of wine per day. There was substantial agreement in mouthwash reporting between different occasions (Kappa > 0.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The questionnaire can be used to investigate mouthwash use in the general population and to measure alcohol intake from mouthwash.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen United Kingdom. ; University of Bremen Bremen Germany.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michal M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kawecki
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Aberdeen United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reeve
authors.affiliation: NHS Grampian Aberdeen United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: NHS Grampian Aberdeen United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bovaird
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tatiana V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
keywords: alcohols; epidemiology; mouthwashes; oral cancer; oral health; questionnaires.