Brushing your teeth before you leave the house could offer you extra protection from Covid-19.
You wouldn’t dare go out now without your mask and antibac gel, but Professor Martin Addy, a dentistry professor at the University of Bristol, has advised you also get a quick brush in before heading out.
Toothpaste, he points out, contains the same detergents as antibacterial hand gels. And with it now known that the deadly virus is most commonly spread by saliva and cough droplets (hence the mandatory masks), Professor Addy says it’s a good idea to safeguard your mouth.
“Toothpaste contains the same detergents as those found in handwash gels recommended,” he said to The Telegraph. “The antimicrobial action of toothpaste in the mouth persists for three to five hours and, thereby, would reduce the viral load in saliva or infection by viruses entering the mouth.”
“For the vast majority, the timing of tooth brushing should be focused when they are about to go out of their homes for exercise or shopping. Ideally, tooth brushing frequency should be increased.”
While the theory has not yet been endorsed by any health bodies, Michael Lewis, a professor of oral medicine from Cardiff, has also spoken up in favour of teeth brushing as a form of Covid-19 defence.
“Covid-19 spreads via saliva and this is the basis of the need for social distancing,” he told ITV. “Toothpastes and mouthwashes contain substances, similar to those in hand sanitizers, that have antiviral actions and these could also impact the ability of the Covid-19 to spread which is obviously an additional benefit of a good oral hygiene regimen.
“So everyone please wash your hands and clean your teeth.”
– Cover Media
