Various experts have debunked recent research that claims mouthwash will destroy coronavirus in 30 seconds.
Data from a report by Cardiff University, which has not yet been peer-reviewed or released in a medical journal, indicate that mouthwashes containing at least 0.07% cetypryidinium chloride (CPC) display promising virus-fighting capabilities. Researchers heading the research imitated the circumstances of the nasal and oral passages and used Listerine and Dentyl.
Johnson & Johnson, the producer and seller of Listerine, claimed that mouthwash is not synonymous with coronavirus treatment and can not be used as a medication.
The Public Health Division of the corporation indicated that Listerine is an antimicrobial mouthwash that is scientifically known to destroy germs that cause plaque, poor breath, and gingivitis, the early gum disease."
It said in a statement to FOX Business that mouthwash "is not meant to deter or cure COVID-19 and can instead be used as instructed on the product label.
The firm also posted "Listerine Usage Guidelines and COVID-19 Outbreak" on its product webpage. The first line of detail reads: "We encourage consumers to learn about and follow [the] guidance provided by the World Health Organization."
According to Johnson & Johnson's Q3 earnings report, Listerine mouthwash prices have ticked up throughout the pandemic.
Can You Sterilize Your Mouth?
In principle, using a mouthwash or other form of oral rinse may decrease the amount of virus or bacteria in someone's mouth for a brief period. However, it is not feasible to sterilize a human mouth as every microbe would develop back again in a very short time.
"You can't sterilize your mouth," Dr Graham Snyder, associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told CNN.
He added that the mouth is "never going to be totally free of pathogens."
Snyder explained that mouthwash won't substantially stop the disease process as the virus will continue to replicate.
Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor of health policy and administration at the George Washington University School of Public Health, said that mouthwash or other disinfectants would often do nothing to stop anyone from inhaling the infection.
More Research Needed to Prove Such Claim
The tentative findings of the university study indicate that mouthwash can help combat virus in the saliva, although there is no proof of how it can impact the respiratory tract or lungs, the major areas of infection with COVID-19.
According to the BBC, a clinical trial will occur at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff to investigate how successful the famous mouthwash brand is in reducing the levels of coronavirus in saliva.
Dr. Nick Claydon, one of the expert periodontologists, assured the BBC that he felt that the study was really important.
"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. Claydon told the BBC.
The goal of the forthcoming clinical trials anticipated early next year would be to decide if mouthwash will duplicate the same findings observed in patients in the laboratory.
To confirm any findings that Listerine mouthwash could prevent COVID-19, Johnson & Johnson indicated that further research is required.
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