Over-the-counter mouthwashes are able to destroy the coronavirus within 30 seconds of contact, a new U.K. study found.
Cardiff University researchers report “promising signs” of mouthwashes containing at least 0.07 percent cetypyridium chloride (CPC) neutralizing the virus upon exposure, BBC reported Tuesday.
However, while the research suggests mouthwash may aid in killing the coronavirus in saliva, it couldn’t be used to effectively treat or cure the virus because it doesn’t reach the respiratory tract or lungs, BBC reported.
The study hasn’t been yet been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal, but Dr. Nick Claydon, senior lecturer in oral biomedical sciences at Cardiff University, said the preliminary results could yield success against the coronavirus.
“If these positive results are reflected in Cardiff University’s clinical trial, CPC-based mouthwashes … could become an important addition to people’s routine, together with hand-washing, physical distancing and wearing masks, both now and in the future,” Claydon said, BBC reported.
As of Tuesday, more than 55.3 million coronavirus cases and 1.3 million related deaths have been reported worldwide, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.