A new study out of a UK lab found that some mouthwashes can kill COVID-19 within 30 second of exposure.
The preliminary findings, from research conducted at Cardiff University, indicate that over-the-counter mouthwashes containing at least 0.07 percent cetypyridinium chloride (CPS) showed “promising signs” of being able to destroy the virus when exposed in a lab setting, according to the New York Post.
The scientists who conducted the study recreated the conditions of a person’s nasal and oral passages in a test tube, and used common mouthwash brands, such as Dentyl and Listerine, to carry out the experiment.
While the results show that mouthwash may help kill the virus in saliva, there was NO evidence that indicated it is an effective treatment for COVID-19, as it does not reach the respiratory tract or the lungs, according to the BBC.
“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,” Dr. Nick Claydon told the BBC.
“This study adds to the emerging literature that several commonly available mouthwashes designed to fight gum disease can also inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (and other related coronaviruses) when tested in the laboratory under conditions that are designed to mimic the oral/nasal cavity in a test tube,” added lead author, Dr. Richard Stanton.
A clinical trial will determine whether mouthwash will have the same effect in the saliva of COVID-19 patients at the University Hospital of Wales, according to the BBC. That trial will not provide any leads on how to prevent patient-to-patient transmission, but it could help in the development of the results in that preliminary research, according to Professor David Thomas of Cardiff University.
“Whilst these mouthwashes very effectively eradicate the virus in the laboratory, we need to see if they work in patients and this is the point of our ongoing clinical study,” he told the BBC.
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