If You Use This Mouthwash, Get Rid of It Right Now

If you've been trying to be extra on top of your oral hygiene routine lately after reading about the effects of mouthwash on COVID, you're not alone. But before you go for your next rinse, you need to check the bottle and make sure you're not using one kind of mouthwash in particular. Sunstar Americas, Inc. (SAI) has issued a notice voluntarily recalling its Paroex Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP mouthwash, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported on Oct. 28. The mouthwash recall announcement was triggered by fears that the product may be contaminated with the bacteria Burkholderia lata. Anyone who is "in possession of these products should stop using and dispensing immediately," the FDA says.

The mouthwash is an oral rinse available through healthcare professionals and commonly distributed for use in the treatment of gingivitis. It's available at dental offices and pharmacies nationwide. The contaminated product is particularly dangerous if used by already immunocompromised patients—the FDA recall notice advises that, "In the most at-risk populations, the use of the defective product may result in life-threatening infections, such as pneumonia and bacteremia." However, they stress that, "To date, no adverse events have been reported to SAI related to this recall." This outbreak follows a similar Burkholderia lata incident in Australia in 2016 that was also traced to contaminated mouthwash.

SAI is currently notifying direct distributors and customers by USPS Priority mail to arrange for the return of all affected products. The full serial numbers of the affected batches of the mouthwash are available at the SAI site, but if you're looking at your bottle and see an expiration date from June 30, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2022, don't rinse your mouth with it. For more products that were recently recalled for safety reasons, read on. And for a very different kind of hazard, find out why This Common Household Item Has Been Recalled Over Fire Risk.

The FDA announced in early October that metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets, sold under the brand name Time-Cap Labs, Inc., were being recalled for containing higher levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) than the acceptable daily intake limits. NDMA is listed as "a probable human carcinogen," which raises the risk of cancer. The pills are commonly given to diabetes patients to lower their glucose levels. And if you want to stay safe, If You Have This Fan in Your House, Stop Using It Immediately.

Rocky Mountain Oils recalled five different types of essential oils in late October, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The brand's Wintergreen essential oil, and its Pain Ease, Relieve Me, Sports Pro, and True Blue essential oil blends have all been recalled due to a potentially harmful ingredient called methyl salicylate, which can be poisonous if ingested. The products were also pulled because the bottles are not childproof. Approximately 33,000 bottles of the oils were sold through the Rocky Mountain Oils website and Amazon between May 2014 and Oct. 2020.

Also this month, the CPSC announced that 5,700 Homerygardens Extension Outdoor Cord Splitters have been recalled due to a potential fire risk. The recall specifically applies to Homerygardens' six-foot four-outlet splitter with an on/off switch because the product does not have the appropriate wire size to handle the amp load it's supposed to accommodate, and lacks "protective features," leading to the potential for a fire. There haven't yet been any reported injuries or fires associated with the use of the Homerygardens product—which were sold through Amazon and Walmart between Mar. 2019 and Aug. 2020—but anyone in possession of one should stop using it and contact the company for a refund. And for other dangerous products that could be in your home, check out If You Have These Popular Pieces of Furniture at Home, Get Rid of Them.

Due to potential contamination from the infection-causing bacteria Pluralibacter gergovaie, Kimberly-Clark announced a recall on Cottonelle Flushable Wipes and Cottonelle GentlePlus Flushable Wipes manufactured between Feb. 7 and Sept. 14, 2020. And for more updates to help you stay safe every day, sign up for our daily newsletter.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

It's not just the humans in your household that you need to worry about. The FDA recently announced that 25 types of Sunshine Mills, Inc. dog food have been recalled due to contamination from aflatoxin, a mold byproduct that can be harmful to animals if consumed in large quantities. And if you're a pet parent, you should know that Petco Just Took This Controversial Product Off Its Shelves.