Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine published a study that says nasal and oral rinses like mouthwash can deactivate human coronaviruses!
Their study finds common, over-the-counter products drastically diminish the viral load of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. The group tested various products including a solution of one-percent baby shampoo with water that was wiped over a person with COVID and found 99.9% of COVID was removed. Then with mouthwash they measured the viral load of coronavirus strains in a patient's mouth.
Their findings reveal most of these products effectively shut down virus particles in less than two minutes. Turns out that mouthwash and gargling products leave 99.9 percent of coronaviruses inactive after just 30 seconds and researchers couldn't detect COVID after a minute of gargling!
This study has similar results to one done in Germany published in July, which also suggested exposure to mouthwash could significantly reduce the viral load of COVID-19.
Researchers will now be looking to expand their study to clinical trials involving COVID-19-positive patients.