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chia

(2,235 posts)
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:29 AM May 2020

Coronavirus: Scientists want to investigate if mouthwash kills the infection

Scientists from Cardiff University are calling for research into whether high-street mouthwashes could reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

The virus is surrounded by a fatty membrane. The scientists have argued the membranes of similar pathogens were disrupted when exposed to ingredients commonly found in mouthwashes, like ethanol, povidone-iodine and cetylpyridinium.

Gargling with mouthwash could inactivate the coronavirus in the throat, helping to prevent it spreading via coughs and sneezes, they added.

Although it is unclear whether this would be the case, the team argued there has been “no discussion” on the potential role of mouthwash in combatting the outbreak.


https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/coronavirus-covid19-mouthwash-kill-infection-110024444.html

If this hypothesis gains any traction, watch for a run on mouthwash...
40 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Coronavirus: Scientists want to investigate if mouthwash kills the infection (Original Post) chia May 2020 OP
Do people who regularly use listerine etc. get less throat/respiratory infections in general? BusyBeingBest May 2020 #1
In alternate reality land... Newest Reality May 2020 #2
My wife does extreme couponing so we are very, very well stocked on mouthwash i.e. "liquid gold" lol cbdo2007 May 2020 #3
Off topic...but about the extreme couponing... MontanaMama May 2020 #20
Yeah, a lot of it is coupons and a lot of it is just the store deals like at CVS cbdo2007 May 2020 #39
I gargle with peroxide. CrispyQ May 2020 #4
Yes. Kills anaerobic bacteria. PCIntern May 2020 #8
Gargle? RobinA May 2020 #28
Ethanol? Why not gin & tonic? The Velveteen Ocelot May 2020 #5
Now there's an idea! smirkymonkey May 2020 #12
I have my medicinal Scotch before bed every evening and comradebillyboy May 2020 #19
It only makes sense that good oral hygiene would help with COVID or any other disease. Hugin May 2020 #6
Are we supposed to squirt it up our noses, too? GoCubsGo May 2020 #7
Soaking the mouthwash in cotton balls and shoving them up your noses might work, too meow2u3 May 2020 #16
Actually, I use saline gel or nasal spray in my nose. Midnight Writer May 2020 #38
Now The Idiot will suggest dunking your head in a bucket of Listerine. LastDemocratInSC May 2020 #9
:) He'll claim his brilliant brain gave them the idea. Hortensis May 2020 #21
Nah, he'll probably suggest chugging a bottle of Krusty's Non Narkotik Kough Syrup. Initech May 2020 #30
When I was a kid, my parents used to make me gargle with salt water if I had a sore throat greenjar_01 May 2020 #10
It still works. marybourg May 2020 #13
warm salt water - n/t RussBLib May 2020 #18
+1. It is an excellent home remedy for many things in the gum and mouth dalton99a May 2020 #22
WTH is a "high street" mouthwash? Bradshaw3 May 2020 #11
Shopping center. marybourg May 2020 #14
Thanks Bradshaw3 May 2020 #15
It's slang for 'commonly used'. Hugin May 2020 #17
Ahhh, thanks for the info Bradshaw3 May 2020 #25
I think it's more Welsh than English... Hugin May 2020 #27
It's nerdy but I've always found word origins interesting Bradshaw3 May 2020 #33
I Was Wondering RobinA May 2020 #29
Glad to know I'm not the only one Bradshaw3 May 2020 #34
First watch for Trump and Jared to corner the market on it. ananda May 2020 #23
I have a good supply of Hydrogen Peroxide which is good since I can't find rubbing alcohol at abqtommy May 2020 #24
You can buy a 1/2 gallon of 80% alcohol here Green Line May 2020 #32
Thanks for that info. Pardon the time lag but I've been out and about. (or "aboot" for our Canadian abqtommy May 2020 #40
Listerine made the claim to prevent colds for 50 years ThoughtCriminal May 2020 #26
Ethanol is an alcohol compound SoCalNative May 2020 #31
I use alcohol free mouthwash... Wounded Bear May 2020 #35
Tooth brush with peroxide. Texaswitchy May 2020 #36
My mom's already doing that, even though we've been completely isolated Crunchy Frog May 2020 #37

BusyBeingBest

(8,049 posts)
1. Do people who regularly use listerine etc. get less throat/respiratory infections in general?
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:31 AM
May 2020

That's something I've wondered, but I don't use mouthwash usually myself, though my husband does--he and I get sick with colds/throat viruses at roughly the same frequency, once or twice every couple years.

Newest Reality

(12,712 posts)
2. In alternate reality land...
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:32 AM
May 2020

In alternate reality land, anything is possible. Just mentioning it could start a run on gargle juice. They don't need none of that thar traction.

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)
3. My wife does extreme couponing so we are very, very well stocked on mouthwash i.e. "liquid gold" lol
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:33 AM
May 2020

MontanaMama

(23,242 posts)
20. Off topic...but about the extreme couponing...
Fri May 15, 2020, 12:05 PM
May 2020

I’ve always wished I could give that a go. Our local stores do not offer the coupons that are available in other parts of the country. I think it would a fun challenge. I’d buy a bunch if stuff and donate it to our food bank and homeless shelter.

cbdo2007

(9,213 posts)
39. Yeah, a lot of it is coupons and a lot of it is just the store deals like at CVS
Fri May 15, 2020, 04:30 PM
May 2020

With CVS they give those care bucks, so you buy stuff and they give you care bucks and you just keep reusing them to buy stuff on sale or with coupons to get tons of stuff free.

We do give tons of it to charities and to our friends and relatives but also end up with a bunch of random stuff like the 8 bottles of mouth wash we have under the sink. Those are always big sellers in the garage sale so I think that's why wife hung on to them.

CrispyQ

(36,231 posts)
4. I gargle with peroxide.
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:35 AM
May 2020

My dentist recommended it many, many years ago for a sore throat. Gargle, let it foam, then gargle with plain water to rinse the organic matter away. I swear, it works on sore throats. Especially if you catch it early.

Good luck finding peroxide, though.

comradebillyboy

(10,119 posts)
19. I have my medicinal Scotch before bed every evening and
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:56 AM
May 2020

when I visited India a few years back I switched to gin and tonic to fend off the malaria.

Hugin

(32,778 posts)
6. It only makes sense that good oral hygiene would help with COVID or any other disease.
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:42 AM
May 2020

I've taken to brushing my teeth after going out and twice a day otherwise.

This is nothing new for me, though. Ever since the link was made between diseases of the mouth and heart disease, I've been very vigilant about the whole process.

Mouthwash? Yeah, I use it too.

GoCubsGo

(32,061 posts)
7. Are we supposed to squirt it up our noses, too?
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:43 AM
May 2020

Because that's where a lot of the viruses we carry dwell. Unless one is a mouth-breather, mouthwashes, if they work, aren't going to do squat against what's in the rest of one's respiratory tract. Not to mention that most manufacturers are taking the alcohol out of their products.

Midnight Writer

(21,548 posts)
38. Actually, I use saline gel or nasal spray in my nose.
Fri May 15, 2020, 04:09 PM
May 2020

Been doing it for years for an unrelated condition, but I wonder if the salt content would help protect against virus.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
21. :) He'll claim his brilliant brain gave them the idea.
Fri May 15, 2020, 12:05 PM
May 2020

As for what to use for mouthwash, why pansy around with anything that does NOT do "a tremendous number" on the tissues when swished-and-spit? Drain cleaner, perhaps, and I'm surprised he hasn't already suggested it.

Bradshaw3

(7,455 posts)
11. WTH is a "high street" mouthwash?
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:49 AM
May 2020

Are mouthwashes purchased at streets at higher elevation more effective?

Hugin

(32,778 posts)
17. It's slang for 'commonly used'.
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:54 AM
May 2020

Goes back to when the 'high street' in a town was like 'main street'.

Hugin

(32,778 posts)
27. I think it's more Welsh than English...
Fri May 15, 2020, 12:34 PM
May 2020

Which makes sense since this is Cardiff in the article.

A couple of variants I've heard are 'state street' and 'royal street'.

RobinA

(9,878 posts)
29. I Was Wondering
Fri May 15, 2020, 01:13 PM
May 2020

if it was some kind black market mouthwash procured from drug dealers. Super strong or something?

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
24. I have a good supply of Hydrogen Peroxide which is good since I can't find rubbing alcohol at
Fri May 15, 2020, 12:09 PM
May 2020

any strength anywhere. I haven't been to a liquor store to look for a substitute but I was wondering
about the astringent cleaner I can buy in quantity and do use for skin cleansing and the occasional waterless bath. So get to it, scientists. Quit yapping and get to investigating and let us know. I can also buy mouthwash without any problem...

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
40. Thanks for that info. Pardon the time lag but I've been out and about. (or "aboot" for our Canadian
Fri May 15, 2020, 05:39 PM
May 2020

family members) Fortunately, today WalMart has been visited by the hydrogen peroxide fairy so I was able to pick up some more. I need to check out a real liquor store first though...

ThoughtCriminal

(14,011 posts)
26. Listerine made the claim to prevent colds for 50 years
Fri May 15, 2020, 12:32 PM
May 2020

And lots of parents forced their kids to gargle the nasty stuff every day based on the advertising.

Turned out it was useless and the FTC made them run corrective advertisements.

That does not mean that something might be helpful for COVID, but I sure would be skeptical without some clinical evidence and controlled studies.

SoCalNative

(4,613 posts)
31. Ethanol is an alcohol compound
Fri May 15, 2020, 01:29 PM
May 2020

so if you make it a point to use alcohol free mouthwash, guess you're SOL

Crunchy Frog

(26,548 posts)
37. My mom's already doing that, even though we've been completely isolated
Fri May 15, 2020, 02:14 PM
May 2020

for two months now with no possible exposures. She even had her "drinking Chlorox" moment with it (spoiler alert: it's not a good idea).

I don't think there's any harm in it, as long as people don't try to use it as a substitute for more proven methods of avoiding infection.

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