Effective in vitro inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by commercially available mouthwashes

Infectious SARS-CoV-2 can be recovered from the oral cavities and saliva of COVID-19 patients with potential implications for disease transmission. Reducing viral load in patient using antiviral mouthwashes may therefore have a role as control measure limiting virus spread, particularly dental settings. Here, efficacy inactivation by seven commercially available range active ingredients were evaluated vitro . We demonstrate ?4.1 to ?5.5 log 10 reduction titre following 1 min treatment containing 0.01–0.02 % stabilised hypochlorous acid or 0.58 povidone iodine, non-specialist both alcohol-based alcohol-free formulations designed home use. In contrast, products 1.5 hydrogen peroxide 0.2 chlorhexidine gluconate ineffective against these tests. This study contributes growing body evidence surrounding virucidal mouthwashes/oral rinses SARS-CoV-2, has important applications reducing risk associated aerosol generating procedures dentistry potentially infection more widely.