Along with hand washing and other hygiene measures, mouthwash could become a routine part of people’s daily habits after preliminary lab tests from the University of Cardiff found it can combat coronavirus in 30 seconds.
These results, which are yet to be peer-reviewed, stem from a 12-week study where it’s been found that mouthwashes containing at least 0.07 percent cetypyridinium chloride (CPC) show “promising signs” of killing off the virus.
In the laboratory tests, scientists at the university worked with various mouthwash brands, including Listerine and Dentyl. By mimicking the conditions of a person’s naso/oropharynx passage, they tested how various mouthwash ingredients are at killing the virus.
In their report, titled The Virucidal Efficacy of Oral Rinse Components Against SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro, researchers note that three of the mouthwashes tested eradicated the virus completely in the lab.
These early results from Cardiff are not the same as finding a cure: There is no indication that mouthwash has any impact on the virus if it moves from human saliva into lung tissue, for example.
Dr Nick Claydon, a specialist periodontologist, told the Independent he believed the research so far is “very valuable,” adding, “If these positive results are reflected in Cardiff University’s clinical trial, CPC-based mouthwashes… could become an important addition to people’s routine, together with hand washing, physical distancing, and wearing masks—both now and in the future.”
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Next up for the scientists, a clinical trial will take place that examines how effective mouthwash is in reducing coronavirus levels in COVID-19 patients at the University Hospital of Wales. Results from that study are expected to be published in early 2021.
(Source: University of Cardiff)
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Sadly, it’s a double-edged sword. Mouthwash doesn’t differentiate between good and bad flora that lives in your mouth. It kills everything. Microbes and bacteria in your mouth form chemicals needed for your body. Your mouth, gut and immune system work together in this amazing symbiosis.