Certain habits appear healthy, but they harm

Ours is an age of information overload. And the deluge of information comes under various issues that relate to our existence, especially when it comes to our health and how to live disease-free.

Whether you’re reading newspapers or magazines, listening to radio or television, or surfing the Internet, you will come across many discussions, postings and write-ups about the dos and don’ts of living healthy. Many are helpful, quite a lot border on half-truth, while a lot more may be dangerous, outright.

Here are two supposedly healthy habits that we engage in but which physicians have warned against.

Vagina douching

When you walk through the aisles of upscale supermarkets that abound all over these days, a visit to the feminine section will greet you with array of feminine hygiene products that promise you clean, fresh feeling below the belt.

Consequently, many women take to douching – a practice whereby certain so-called feminine products are introduced into the vagina, with the aim of “cleaning” it and making it smell fresh.

General Physician, Dr. Debo Sanusi, notes that the female genital does have ‘normal aura’ that is peculiar to it, and that there is nothing untoward about the smell that is naturally associated with it.

He says it’s when odour becomes foul and irritating that a woman should see the doctor, who will examine her and recommend drugs as appropriate.

He laments that many women actually have arrays of products that they use, in ignorance. Some of these products contain mixes of water and vinegar, baking soda, iodine, alcohol or lemon.

Gynaecologists say women douche for many reasons, all of them quite unnecessary.

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecologist, Eli Adama, notes that women douche, ostensibly to rid the vagina of bad smell, prevent pregnancy or infection. Nothing could be more bizarre, experts say.

“Douching is different from washing the outside of your vagina during a bath or shower. Rinsing the outside of your vagina with warm water will not harm it. But, douching can lead to many different health problems,” Adama warns.

He counsels that it’s best to let your vagina clean itself. “This occurs naturally when it produces mucous. The mucous washes away blood, semen, and vaginal discharge. And that’s why even healthy, clean vaginas may have a mild odour,” he says.

Sanusi adds, “Douching is not only completely unnecessary, it’s also surprisingly harmful. The vagina contains many different bacteria that live in complex relationships with each other. Within 10 minutes of douching, some get killed, which upsets the ecological balance. The vagina reverts to normal within 72 hours. But before it does, bacteria no longer held in check by those that have been eliminated may multiply and cause a variety of ills.”

Such ills include Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, overgrowth of harmful bacteria that could lead to yeast infection, infertility, unpleasant fishy discharge (bacterial vaginosis), ectopic pregnancy and even untimely delivery among pregnant women who douche, etc.

The physicians advise women to visit the hospital if they have vaginal discharge that smells bad; thick, white, or yellowish-green discharge with or without an odour; burning, redness, and swelling in or around the vagina; pain when urinating; pain or discomfort during sex; and significant bleeding other than menstrual.

Using mouthwash

Many men and women who wish to maintain fresh breath simply take to using mouthwash, even when the doctor has not recommended it for them.

Yet, physicians say it is comparable to laying your mouth bare for bacterial invasion!

Ms. Yombo Albert, a pharmacist, warns that mouthwash products often contain unnatural dyes, alcohol, preservatives and unnecessary ingredients that actually do more damage than help in preventing bad breath – if that’s one of the reasons you use them.

She says if the ultimate goal is to have fresh breath, gargling with warm, salty water can kill the bacteria in your mouth with no damage to your health.

Albert adds that if one of the reasons you use the mouthwash is to fight plaque, the best way to achieve that is by brushing properly and regularly.

Dentists say mouthwash can be classified broadly – cosmetic or therapeutic. They note that while rinsing with a cosmetic mouthwash may loosen bits of food from your teeth, lessen bacteria in your mouth, temporarily reduce bad breath and leave a refreshing taste in your mouth, therapeutic mouthwash contains additional active ingredients such as essential oils, chlorhexidine, cetylpyridinium chloride and fluoride, which may reduce plaque or fight cavities.

But then, they are not supposed to be used for extended period, and should, in fact, be used under the supervision of a physician!

Be warned that mouthwashes contain a high amount of alcohol, which can give you dry mouth – one of the causes of bad breath – and irritate oral tissues. Worse, experts say, those that contain alcohol can make your teeth sensitive.

Worse still, dentists warn, mouthwash can stain your teeth or cause a burning sensation, while your sense of taste might also take a bash as you indulge in your oral misadventure.