Mouthwash can help prevent spread of coronavirus, say doctors in Spain

USING antiseptic mouthwash can help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Spanish doctors have said.

The Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians (SEMERGEN) is recommending regular use of the dental hygiene product as it has been found to help reduce the viral load and lower the risk of transmission.

Evidence of its effectiveness has been found by a recent study at the Penn State College of Medicine in the US.

The results, published in the Journal of Medical Virology, support the role of certain antiseptics, particularly cetylpyridinium chloride, in ‘deactivating’ or weakening the COVID-19 virus.

During a press conference, SEMERGEN said oral health must be prioritised as a tool against coronavirus, adding that ‘maintaining good oral hygiene is key to caring for general health.’

Likewise, poor oral hygiene can directly and indirectly aggravate the development of diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular illnesses, according to SEMERGEN vice president Juan Sergio Fernandez Ruiz.

Doctors are now being told to advise patients to make oral health a priority in their daily lives.