Antiseptic Oral Rinses: Weapon against Covid-19

Introduction: Since December 2019, we have all faced a bizarre situation due to corona virus disease. COVID-19 belongs to the corona virus family, which is a group of enveloped RNA viruses with spike protein in its membrane envelope. Other members of this family are SARS-COV and MERS-COV, which have spread in the recent years. The interaction between the spike protein and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor plays an important role for entry of these virus particles into the cells.
Aim: To evaluate the composition and mechanism of action of various oral rinses and their efficacy to reduce Covid-19 viral load in published literature.
Materials and method: A literature search was performed in PubMed, up to 31st July 2021, focusing on SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, oral cavity, and oral rinses. The keywords searched were “Covid-19 and mouthwash” or “SARS-COV2 and mouthwash” or “Covid-19 and oral rinses” or “SARS-COV2 and oral rinses”, and 123 articles surfaced in 2020 and 2021. Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews and reviews on this topic, and 34 articles formed a part of this poster.
Results and conclusion: Studies have found a very high SARS-COV2 viral load in saliva, which suggests that the virus can be transmitted by salivary interactions, making oral tissues a possible reservoir. Antiseptic mouthwashes are routinely used to reduce the number of microorganisms in the oral cavity. It has been suggested that rinsing the oral cavity with these solutions might aid in reducing the risk of transmission, other systemic complications, and improved oral hygiene in patients with COVID-19, which could accelerate the recovery process.