The Potential Benefit of Mouthwashes in Reducing COVID-19 Viral Load: A Mini Review

Scientists throughout the world are searching for a lasting solution in the form of a vaccine or a drug that could be used to combat COVID-19 infections. A number of studies have proposed the antiviral efficacy of mouthwashes across a different population. Research has shown over the years that active ingredients present in commercially available mouthwash are potent enough to damage viruses, particularly those with the lipid envelope, rendering them harmless. This paper reviews the effect of mouthwashes on few viruses, including those possibly linked to SARS-COV-2. The aim is to provide evidence on the potential benefit of mouthwashes in reducing viral load and pool together the impact of various mouthwashes in managing individuals diagnosed with viral infections. We searched academic, English-scripted paper published between 1995 and June 2020 on PubMed, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, WHO and the Cochrane Library databases. Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility and quality of the retrieved papers using the Jadad scale. Result showed there were evidences indicating that the benefits of mouthwashes to viral infections might be transferrable to COVID-19. However, future trials are recommended to establish the benefits of mouthwashes in reducing the burden of COVID-19.