Mouthwash May Protect Against Coronavirus, Scientists Speculate

Mouthwash may protect against coronavirus, scientists speculate

According to the researchers, the active substances in the mouthwash can help break down the lipid membrane of SARS-CoV-2.

Photo: Erschaffung

The study is being carried out by specialists from the Faculty of Medicine at Cardiff University in collaboration with universities in England, Spain, the United States and Canada. In their opinion, there is an urgent need to test the effectiveness of mouthwashes in a clinical setting, so as not to exclude another way of protecting against coronavirus at home. They published preliminary results of their work in the journal Function.

Scientists explain that the coronavirus molecules are covered with a fatty layer that is vulnerable to certain chemicals - ethanol, povidone iodine, cetylpyridinium and others. These substances are found in many mouthwashes on the market.

“If the wrapping membrane is damaged, the virus is damaged. Thus, a mouthwash could theoretically provide a level of protection rivaling soap,”the scientists write.

It is noteworthy that the lipid envelope of the virus does not change with mutations, which means that the rinse liquid can be effective with any new strains of coronavirus.

Valerie O'Donnel, a professor at Cardiff University, said in vitro experiments showed that some mouthwashes contain enough virucidal ingredients that destroy the membrane envelope of the virus.

"This aspect needs urgent research to determine the protective potential of mouth rinses to protect against coronavirus," says the scientist.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that so far there is no evidence of the effectiveness of using mouthwash to protect against coronavirus.

In addition, one of the largest manufacturers of mouthwashes, Listerine, has warned that none of its products have been tested against any strains of coronavirus. The company also warned that while the mouth rinses contain alcohol, they are not intended to disinfect hands.