Simple Oral Hygiene – Such As Using Mouthwash – Could Help Reduce COVID-19 Severity

According to new research, COVID-19 can get into people’s lungs through saliva, with the virus moving directly from the mouth into the bloodstream – especially if people suffer from gum disease.

There is some evidence that the blood vessels of the lungs, rather than the airways, are initially affected in COVID-19 lung disease with high levels of the virus in saliva and periodontal disease associated with an increased risk of death.

The researchers propose that plaque buildup and periodontal inflammation increase the likelihood of the SARS-CoV-2 virus reaching the lungs and causing more serious cases of the infection.

Experts say this discovery could turn effective oral care into a potentially life-saving action – recommending the public take simple, yet effective, daily steps to maintain oral hygiene and reduce factors that contribute to gum disease, such as plaque buildup .

An international team of researchers from the UK, South Africa and the United States published their findings today in the Journal of Oral Medicine and Dental Research. They note new evidence that specific ingredients of some inexpensive and widely available mouthwash products are very effective at inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Simple oral hygiene measures, including the use of these specific mouthwash products, can help reduce the risk of transmission of the virus from the mouth to the lungs in people with COVID-19 and help prevent serious cases of the infection.

The first observations of lung CT scans of patients suffering from COVID-19 lung disease by Dr. Graham Lloyd-Jones, a radiologist, sparked a collaboration between medical and dental researchers on the potential pathway to the bloodstream.

Co-author Iain Chapple, professor of periodontology at the University of Birmingham, noted, “This model can help us understand why some people develop COVID-19 lung disease and others don’t. It could also change the way we manage the virus – researching cheap or even free treatments targeting the mouth and ultimately saving lives.

“Gum disease causes the gums to leak, allowing micro-organisms to enter the blood. Simple measures – such as careful brushing and interdental brushing to reduce plaque build-up, along with specific mouthwashes, or even salt water rinses to reduce gum disease – can help reduce salivary virus concentration and help reduce and reduce the development of lung disease the risk of worsening to severe COVID-19. “

The research team was made up of experts from Salisbury District Hospital, UK; the University of Birmingham, UK; and the Mouth-Body Research Institute, Los Angeles, California and Cape Town, South Africa.

Their new model is based on the mouth providing a breeding ground for the virus to thrive, with any break in the oral immune defense making it easier for the virus to enter the bloodstream. Moving from blood vessels in the gums, the virus would pass through neck and chest veins – reaching the heart before being pumped into the pulmonary arteries and small blood vessels in the lung base and periphery.

“Studies are urgently needed to further investigate this new model, but in the meantime, daily oral hygiene and plaque control will not only improve oral health and well-being, but could also be lifesaving in the context of the pandemic,” added Professor Chapple.

Reference: “The COVID-19 Pathway: A Proposed Oral-Vascular-Pulmonary Route of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Importance of Oral Healthcare Measures” by Graham Lloyd-Jones, Shervin Molayem, Carla Cruvinel Pontes and Iain Chapple, April 20 2021, The Journal of Oral Medicine & Dental Research.