Can Mouthwash Be Helpful In Fighting Coronavirus?

A mouthwash to defeat COVID-19? Scientists say a mouthwash could lower infection spread

According to a study by scientists at Cardiff University, dental mouthwashes can protect against COVID-19 by killing the virus before it infects human cells. Researchers have demonstrated that the throat and salivary glands are virus replication and transmission sites in early COVID-19 disease. Since coronaviruses belong to the class of “enveloped viruses” that are coated with an external lipid layer, they are vulnerable to certain chemicals. Mouthwashes can destroy the outer shell, preventing it from multiplying in the mouth and throat. According to the lead author of the study, Professor Valerie O'Donnell, some mouthwashes contain enough compounds to act on similar enveloped viruses.

Ingredients for mouthwashes includes :

1. Chlorhexidine
2. Cetylpyridinium chloride
3. Hydrogen peroxide
4. Povidone iodine
5. Ethanol
6. Chlorine Dioxide

These chemicals are potentially able to prevent infections. They not only destroy the external fatty membrane, but also affect the ability of spike glycoproteins to interact with receptors on host cells. Also, the lipid envelope does not vary when the virus mutate, so it should still work even if new strands of the virus emerge in future. Antimicrobial nature of chlorine dioxide is derived from its property of denaturing proteins present on virus cells. This denaturation involves the oxidation of certain amino residues majorly tryptophan and tyrosine present in the proteins.When chlorine dioxide comes in contact with the virus it denatures the tyrosine tryptophan residues on the spike protein, deactivating the receptor binding and oxidises the viral genetic material. However, further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of the rinsing agents against COVID-19. Also, the potential of disrupting the lipid membrane depends on the concentration of these agents.