The Research Behind the Use of Mouthwashes & Nasal Sprays That Might Destroy COVID-19

As always, consult a physician when taking any medicine, but staples in the household medicine chest might help deactivate COVID-19. Relatively unpublicized research has recently resulted in the development of several inexpensive new products--as well as finding a new use for some old-fashioned ones—that could lessen one’s chances of catching COVID-19 or disabling the SARS-CoV-2 virus before it does much harm. Surprisingly, these findings advocating the use of mouthwashes and nasal swabs first appeared in scientific publications in April and May 2020. They might not be as flashy as the recently announced COVID-19 vaccines are, but they could possibly help protect the public against the virus: Kirk-Bayley, Justin, Sunkaraneni, Vishnu and Challacombe, Stephen, (May 4, 2020). in The use of povidone iodine nasal spray and mouthwash during the current COVID-19 pandemic may reduce cross infection and protect healthcare workers points out that since povidone iodine has proven to be an effective virucide against earlier coronaviruses, such as MERS CoV, if administered in the nasal cavities and/or as a mouthwash, it might reduce the viral load of droplets and aerosols before a human host has the chance to pass on COVID-19. Sizun J., Yu M. W., Talbot P. J. (2000, September). Survival of human coronaviruses 229E and OC43 in suspension and after drying on surfaces: a possible source of hospital-acquired infections. The Journal of Hospital Infection. 2000 Sep;46(1):55-60. supports this claim because povidone iodine has reduced upper respiratory infections in strains of OC43 and 229E human coronaviruses in aqueous suspension by at least 50 percent on absorptive and non-absorptive surfaces in a hospital environment. Likewise, COVID-19: Povidone-iodine intranasal prophylaxis in front-line healthcare personnel and inpatients (PIIPPI). (2020, April 28;2020 May 14). National Library of Medicine posits that the antiseptic Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) should be effective against SARS-CoV-2 because of its previous success destroying bacteria, fungi, and viruses. In vitro assays, a concentration of one percent PVP-1 has cut viral activity 99.9 percent, and after two minutes, a concentration of 0.23 percent has sufficiently reduced viral loads “appreciably”. Then again, researchers have long known that foods high in iodine, such as cod and seaweed, when added to the diet act as virus prophylactics, according to Warren, Gary. (2020, April). Iodine intake to reduce COVID-19 transmission and mortality. Research Gate. Thus, researchers first speculated that adding foods rich in iodine to a diet might destroy COVID-19’s ability to replicate itself, thus eventually leading some of them back to the realization that gargling a povidone iodine or cetypyridinium chloride (CPC) mouthwash might be another way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. However, proving this theory sometimes gets very specific as Dunleavy, Brian P. (2020, September 17). Nasal solution may stop the spread of COVID-19, UPI demonstrates. If one can believe these claims, a peer-reviewed study published by JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, notes that a nasal antiseptic solution, povidone-iodine, “administered to each nostril” in 15 seconds inactivates” COVID-19. Thus, Eli Lilly plans to market this solution--both as nasal and oral rinse--under the brand name Halodine after the completion of clinical trials starting in October. Because of this and similar research, the media has slowly begun to suggest the possible effectiveness of povidone-iodine mouthwashes like Plax Advanced and Listerine Gum Therapy (as well as others found by searching “povidone iodine mouthwashes AND COVID” as prophylactics) when the University of Connecticut’s dental school has touted its use: UConn health researchers find a simple oral rinse can inactivate the COVID-19 virus. (2020, June 18)--all within a contact period of 15 seconds followed by a rinsing period of at least 30 seconds in a laboratory setting. They, however, caution against the use of povidone-iodine mouthwashes if one is allergic to iodine, pregnant, or has thyroid problems. Similarly, research at Cardiff University in Wales has discovered that mouthwashes containing at least a 0.07 percent solution of cetypyridinium chloride (CPC) destroy the COVID virus in saliva as Woods, Amanda. (2020, November 17). Pocisone-Mouthwash can kill COVID-19 in 30 seconds, study reveals. New York Post. This means that mouthwashes originally created to fight gum disease can perhaps also disarm the COVID-19, according to preliminary laboratory studies performed before the start of clinic trials. Of course, the British researchers have yet to conduct a clinical study to discover how long these results last. Even so, very soon, antiseptic nasal solutions will be available: Dunleavy, Brian P. (2020, September 17). Nasal solution may stop the spread of COVID-19, study finds. UPI. In a peer-reviewed study published by JAMA Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, a nasal antiseptic solution, povidone-iodine, “administered to each nostril” in 15 seconds inactivates” COVID-19. Eli Lilly plans to market this solution both as nasal and oral rinse, under the brand name Halodine sometime after the completion of clinical trials. Similarly, Bluewillow Biologics has released the nasal spray, NanoBio. Finally, nebulized mists might also enhance the treatment of COVID-19 if readers can believe a much earlier study: Kawana, Akihiko, and Kudo, Koichiro. (1999). A trial of povidone-iodine (PVP-I) nasal inhalation and gargling to remove potentially pathogenic bacteria colonized in the pharynx: In 1999, Japanese researchers theorized that inhaling a nasal mist with a miniscule amount of povidone-iodine in it is an effective means of removing pathogenic bacteria from the lungs, mouth, and sinuses after comparing the results of dispensing the same with both a control group of participants who gargled the solution and another group who inhaled it. By extension, some COVID-contemporary physicians hypothesize that an effective way of dispensing povidone-iodine is in a nebulized mist since not only will it reach the sinuses and throat, but it will also penetrate the lungs. Please also note disclaimers by manufacturers like Listerine in the Forbes' article, "Listerine: Our Mouthwash ‘Is Not Intended To Prevent Or Treat Covid-19" primarily because researchers at present confine their experiments to petri dishes rather than double blind studies of subjects who either swish with a povidone-iodine mouthwash or three percent hydrogen peroxide and those who are given a placebo mouthwash. Also, understand no one knows how often adults (only) should gargle with a povidone-iodine or hydrogen peroxide mouthwash. Nevertheless, consumers who want to purchase Povidone-iodine mouthwashes will find that ACT, Listerine, and Tom’s of Maine are among the well-known brands that carry alcohol-free povidone-iodine mouthwashes as each bottle's list of ingredients should note.