An over-the-counter mouthwash could slow the spread of the virus.
A swig of good old Listerine could "disrupt" transmission of the COVID-19 virus, a new study shows.
Under laboratory conditions, researchers at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine found that two types of mouthwash – over-the-counter Listerine and prescription Chlorhexidine – disrupted the virus within seconds after being diluted to concentrations that would mimic actual use.
The study, published in Pathogens, was conducted using concentrations of the mouthwash and the time it would take to contact tissues to replicate conditions found in the mouth. Study senior author Daniel H. Fine, chair of the school's Department of Oral Biology, said further studies are needed to test real-life efficacy in humans.
"The ultimate goal would be to determine whether rinsing two or three times a day with an antiseptic agent with active anti-viral activity would have the potential to reduce the ability to transmit the disease," Fine said. "But this needs to be investigated in a real-world situation."
Fine's study found two other mouthwashes could potentially providing some protection in preventing viral transmission: Betadine, which contains povidone iodine, and Peroxal, which contains hydrogen peroxide.
However, only Listerine and Chlorhexidine disrupted the virus with little impact on skin cells inside the mouth that provide a protective barrier against the virus, he said.
"Both Povidone iodine and Peroxal caused significant skin cell death in our studies, while both Listerine and Chlorhexidine had minimal skin cell killing at concentrations that simulated what would be found in daily use," Fine said.
Until the findings can be proven in clinical trials on humans, Fine warned the public against relying on mouthwash as a way to slow the spread of the virus.
“The ultimate goal would be to determine whether rinsing two or three times a day with an antiseptic agent with active anti-viral activity would have the potential to reduce the ability to transmit the disease.”
Daniel H. Fine, DMD, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.
Photo credit: LONDON, UK - DECEMBER 18TH 2017: A close-up of the Listerine logo on a bottle of Listerine Fresh Burst Mouthwash, on 18th December 2017. By chrisdorney / Shutterstock
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Researchers found that two types of mouthwash – over-the-counter Listerine and prescription Chlorhexidine – disrupted the virus within seconds after being diluted to concentrations that would mimic actual use.
The study was conducted using concentrations of the mouthwash and the time it would take to contact tissues to replicate conditions found in the mouth.
Until the findings can be proven in clinical trials on humans, Fine warned the public against relying on mouthwash as a way to slow the spread of the virus.