Can you imagine that taking care of your mouth and teeth might hold the key to protecting you from the coronavirus and its variants? A recent study has confirmed that using mouthwash every morning could help in protecting you from the coronavirus, according to a report by the British newspaper Daily Mail this Friday. This Egyptian study is the latest in a long series that links poor oral hygiene to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, prompting the public to improve their dental care.
Researchers from Cairo University found that individuals with poor oral health were more likely to experience severe symptoms if infected with the virus. The scientists conducting the study believe that the mouth could act as a reservoir for the virus, allowing infected patients to carry a high viral load – meaning they carry particles that spread throughout the body. The higher the number of these viruses in a person's body, the greater the likelihood of experiencing severe disease symptoms.
Typically, the coronavirus enters through the throat or nose, where it multiplies and makes its way through the respiratory system to the lungs. However, some experts have speculated that the virus may spread through the bloodstream after affecting the gums. Researchers at Cairo University tested a group of 86 COVID-19 patients with heart diseases and assessed their oral hygiene and the severity of their symptoms.
The results showed that patients with better oral hygiene experienced milder symptoms and less inflammation in their bodies when infected with the virus, and they also recovered faster, according to the researchers who have not yet published their full findings, as reported by the British newspaper. The study was presented at the American College of Cardiology conference in the Middle East in 2021.
Dr. Ahmed Mustafa Basyouni, the study's author, stated that using mouthwash could help people avoid contracting the coronavirus entirely and that they would have milder symptoms if they did get infected. He added that other good oral health habits, such as brushing teeth and regular dental visits, work to "prevent or reduce the severity of COVID-19."
Dr. Basyouni explained, "Oral tissues can act as a reservoir for the coronavirus, leading to a high viral load in the oral cavity. Therefore, we recommended maintaining oral health and improving hygiene measures, especially during coronavirus infections." Numerous studies have shown that individuals with generally good oral hygiene take better care of themselves and are overall healthier, and this latest study is not the first to conclude that mouthwash can help people avoid serious COVID-19 infections.
Experts believe that the substances in mouthwash disrupt the lipid membrane surrounding the virus, hindering its ability to infect people. Last November, researchers from Cardiff University found that mouthwashes containing cetylpyridinium chloride kill the virus within 30 seconds; however, both the World Health Organization and mouthwash manufacturers like Listerine have downplayed the significance of these studies.
