Aside from leaving your teeth clean and removing bad breath, practicing oral hygiene might have a very timely benefit. In a recent study conducted by Colgate Laboratories, it was found that toothpaste and mouthwash might actually help slow the spread of COVID-19.
Laboratory studies performed in partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s (NJMS) Public Health Research Institute and Regional Biosafety Laboratories show that toothpaste made with zinc and stannous (or tin II fluoride), and mouthwash formulas with cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) neutralize by 99.9 percent the virus that causes COVID-19.
The trial used Colgate Total and Meridol toothpastes for the test. The researchers found that both toothpastes neutralized the virus that causes COVID-19 after two minutes of contact. With mouthwash, both Colgate Total and Colgate Max were found to be effective against the virus after 30 seconds.
Since COVID-19 is mostly spread via droplets, this could be a promising scientific development. But don’t get too excited, though. This research is still in the very early stages.
“We’re at the early stages of our clinical investigations, but our preliminary laboratory and clinical results are very promising,” said Dr. Maria Ryan, Colgate’s chief clinical officer.
“While brushing and rinsing are not a treatment or a way to fully protect an individual from infection, they may help to reduce transmission and slow the spread of the virus, supplementing the benefit we get from wearing masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing,” she concluded.
Basically, keep washing your hands, wear a mask and don’t forget to brush and gargle three times a day.
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