Using mouthwash can prevent COVID-19 contraction.

Using mouthwash may reduce the risk of virus transmission, but it won't prevent or cure COVID-19 infection.

Using mouthwash may reduce the risk of virus transmission, but it won't prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. According to the researchers, high quantities of the virus particles, or viral load, can be detected in the oral cavity and throat of some COVID-19 patients. On 17 September 2020, a study done at the Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, suggests that mouthwashes may not kill the virus but would reduce viral load in the throat, thus reducing the chances of transmission.

The researchers allowed the solutions to interact with the virus for 30 seconds, one minute, and two minutes before diluting the solutions to prevent further virus inactivation. The researchers said several of the mouthwash and gargle products also were effective at inactivating the infectious virus. The 1% baby shampoo solution, which is often used by head and neck doctors to rinse the sinuses, inactivated greater than 99.9% of human coronaviruses after a two-minute contact time.

Thus, according to the researchers, the use of mouth wash may provide an additional level of protection against the virus. Still, it’s not going to have a meaningful impact on the ability to transmit the COVID-19 virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.