Mouthwash can kill coronavirus in 30 seconds after initial exposure, a new study has found.
The Cardiff University study, which has yet to be peer reviewed, found that mouthwashes with at least .07 percent cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) showed “promising signs” of combatting the virus, according to Science Focus. CPC-based mouthwashes eradicated the virus when exposed in a laboratory, but the trial has yet to be conducted with saliva.
The three most successful products were Dentyl Dual Action, Dentyl Fresh Protect and Listerine Advanced, which contained 23% ethanol, providing “the greatest level of inaction,” according to the report which is based on another study that supports the effectiveness of CPC-based mouthwashes, per Science Focus. (RELATED: CDC Study Says That Slowing The Spread Of The Coronavirus May Hinge On Young Adults)
The research showed that ethanol alone was not enough to combat the virus, which led scientists to claim that the compound LAE, which is found in Listerine Advanced, “appears to be required for optimal efficacy,” per Science Focus.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 28: The mouthwash bowl is seen by a dental surgery chair at East Village dental practice on May 28, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Cardiff University Professor David Thomas, who led the study, said while the findings are promising, there’s still not enough evidence on whether it would work on a patient.
“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,” Thomas said, according to BBC.
“It is important to point out the study won’t give us any direct evidence on viral transmission between patients, that would require a different type of study on a much larger scale,” Thomas said. “The ongoing clinical study will, however, show us how long any effects last, following a single administration of the mouthwash in patients with COVID-19.”
A clinical trial is set to begin in 2021 to determine whether the mouth wash can reduce COVID in human saliva.