7 Best Mouthwashes for COVID-19 according to Evidence (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -

The COVID-19 Omicron variants replicate to achieve high viral loads in the throat. Therefore, appropriate mouthwashes will likely reduce the viral load in the throat and thereby reducing the risk of severe disease due to the viral load in the lungs.

mouthwash for COVID-19
Credit: covid19criticalcare.com

One of the key approaches to minimize the risk of severe COVID-19 and also transmission would be to reduce the viral load of COVID-19 virus in the saliva and throat. 

Mouthwash is part of the FLCCC I-PREVENT Protocol

Best Mouthwashes for COVID-19 according to evidence

There are lots of great mouthwashes out there, and this list is by no means complete. We’ve included therapeutic mouthwashes with proven anti-COVID-19 ingredient, you can buy over the counter.

1. Betadine (Povidone Iodine) Gargle - Mouthwash with 1% povidone iodine



Customer Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 (more than 4,000 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: Number 10 in Cough Syrups category.

The antiseptic povidone-iodine has immediate virucidal effects against COVID-19 virus. There are more than 20 published studies on povidone-iodine for COVID-19 (c19pvpi.com).

Instruction: Gargle twice a day or after having been out for prevention, and three times a day for early treatment of COVID-19.
  • CONTAINS one 8 oz bottle (24 uses) of Betadine Antiseptic Sore Throat Gargle for the temporary relief of occasional sore throat
  • TREAT AND RELIEVE SORE THROAT SYMPTOMS the moment you feel a sore throat coming on
  • FAST ACTING GARGLE From Betadine, the brand that has been trusted by healthcare professionals for over 50 years.
  • 0.5% POVIDONE-IODINE ANTISEPTIC GARGLE
  • MINT FLAVOR, ALCOHOL FREE FORMULATION
“Iodine is essential to not only fighting off an infection it is necessary for proper immune system functioning. There is no bacteria, virus, parasite or fungus that is known to be resistant to iodine.”
- Dr. David Brownstein

Betadine mouthwash side effects (Drugs.com) - Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
  • Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
  • Redness.
  • Very bad irritation where this drug is used.

2. Crest Pro Health Intense Mouthwash with CPC (Cetylpyridinium Chloride)

crest mouthwash
Buy on Amazon

Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 (1500 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25 in Mouthwashes

Price: $19 ($0.28 / Fl Oz)

A study, published in Nature (Takeda 2022) concluded that CPC (CetylPyridinium Chloride) may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection even at lower concentrations.

Another team of international scientists has also demonstrated the usefulness of cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouthwashes in inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and reducing the risk of viral transmission. The study is published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology (2022).

A scientific review, published in the Journal of Formosan Medical Association (2022) also concluded that mouthwash containing CPC shows potential for reducing the viral load of COVID-19 virus in the throat.

Instruction: twice a day or after having been out for prevention, and three times a day for early treatment of COVID-19.
  • Active Ingredient: Cetylpyridinium Chloride 0.05%. 
  • Inactive Ingredients Water, Alcohol (15 Wt%), Propylene Glycol, Flavor, Poloxamer 407, Sucralose, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Blue 1, Yellow 6
  • 99% Germ Kill with no medicinal taste
  • Cooling sensation
  • Keeps teeth clean longer
  • Freshens breath
  • Fights plaque & gingivitis

3. Colgate Peroxyl (Hydrogen Peroxide Mouthwash)

Buy on Amazon

Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 (more than 18,000 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5 in Mouthwashes

Price: $9 ($0.53 / Fl Oz)

Chinese health authorities recommended the use of povidone–iodine (PI) and hydrogen peroxide-based mouth-rinses as a pre-procedural preventive measure, while the American Dental Association has advocated the use of 1% hydrogen peroxide mouth-rinse before dental examination.


Since SARS-CoV-2 may be vulnerable to oxidation, use 1.5% hydrogen peroxide (commercially available in the US) or 0.2% povidone iodine as a pre-procedural mouth-rinse (Int J Oral Sci. 2020). 

Instruction: Gargle twice a day or after having been out for prevention, and three times a day for early treatment of COVID-19.
  • Active ingredient: Hydrogen peroxide 1.5%.
  • #6 best seller in Amazon Best Seller Mouthwash category. Review rating 4.7 out of 5 with more than 17,000 reviews.
  • Mouth rinses cleanses and promotes healing of minor oral wounds
  • Helps promote healing of: oral sores, irritations, mouth burns
  • Oxygenating action removes oral debris to facilitate healing
  • Soothes minor gum inflammation from dental procedures, dentures and orthodontic appliances
  • Antiseptic mouthwash, alcohol free formula

4. Scope Mouthwash

Scope mouthwash
Buy on Amazon

Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 (more than 800 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160 in Mouthwashes

Price: from $9

A study, published in Nature (Takeda 2022) concluded that CPC (CetylPyridinium Chloride) may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection even at lower concentrations.

Another team of international scientists has also demonstrated the usefulness of cetylpyridinium chloride-containing mouthwashes in inhibiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and reducing the risk of viral transmission. The study is published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology (2022).

A scientific review, published in the Journal of Formosan Medical Association (2022) also concluded that mouthwash containing CPC shows potential for reducing the viral load of COVID-19 virus in the throat.

Instruction: twice a day or after having been out for prevention, and three times a day for early treatment of COVID-19.
  • Ingredients: Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC), Water, Alcohol (15 Wt%), Glycerin, Flavor, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Saccharin, Sodium Benzoate, Benzoic Acid, Blue 1, Yellow 5
  • Kills 99% of bad breath germs in lab tests
  • Crest clean meets Scope freshness
  • Cosmetic mouthwash
  • Made in the USA with U.S. and imported ingredients
  • Original Mint Flavor

5. Colgate Zero with CPC

Buy on Amazon

Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 (more than 250 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #730 in Mouthwashes

Price: Check Price on Amazon

The biggest red flag on an ingredient list for mouthwash is alcohol, according to board-certified dentist Michaela Tozzi, DMD, since it can irritate the gums and oral tissue. Plus, it temporarily depletes saliva flow, which acts as the mouth's immune system. Colgate Zero is alcohol free and contains the anti-viral CPC.

Instruction: Gargle twice a day or after having been out for prevention, and three times a day for early treatment of COVID-19.
  • Active Ingredient: Cetylpyridinium Chloride
  • Kills 99% of plaque germs
  • 0% alcohol
  • 0% dyes
  • 0% artificial flavors
  • 0% artificial sweeteners

6. TheraBreath Healthy Gums - Periodontist Formulated 24-Hour Oral Rinse with CPC


Buy on Amazon

A gluten-free, alcohol-free CPC mouthwash option.

TheraBreath Healthy Gums Oral Rinse contains cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) 0.05%, an ingredient approved by the FDA and clinically proven to kill germs linked to gum disease and other periodontal problems, and adds a sweetener, xylitol (but NO saccharin), to neutralize the decay process.

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: 
#1 in Anesthetic & Antiseptic Oral Rinses
#4 in Mouthwashes

It has over 23,000 customer reviews, most of them 5-stars.

7. Iotech ioRinse Mouthwash


Customer Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 (more than 300 ratings)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: NA

Price: $40

There is a new generation of patented iodine-based antiseptics that overcome the negative side effects of PVP-1. A new aqueous formulation with 100 times more I2 than contained in PVP-1 is now available, and the non-biocidal content has been reduced from 31,600 ppm to a few hundred ppm. This new formulation increases its effectiveness, safety, and shelf life, while also reducing staining, toxicity, bad taste, and potential irritancy. It is now available in mouth-rinses, concentrates, nasal sprays, and hand sanitizers offered by IoTech International (IoTech International).

Key Takeaways

With so many options, you might wish to choose the one which is the most easily available to you. You might even wish to use the alternating strategy where you alternate between two different mouthwashes with different active ingredients in order to optimise the effectiveness.

That said, mouthwash alone cannot be used as a stand-alone strategy to prevent or treat COVID-19. You must still adhere to your local guidelines such as face mask, hand sanitisation, quarantine, social distancing and etc.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dr Peter McCullough: How to Detox Spike Protein from Body

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Base Spike Detox According to Dr Peter McCullough (in a Twitter post): Base Spike Detox is what I am currently using in my practice for those who have had COVID-19 multiple times, one or more of the COVID-19 vaccines, or both and believe persistent SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein could be causing problems in their body.  I have arrived, based on the emerging scientific literature (1) and my clinical observation, that three OTC products are essential as a triple base combination: Nattokinase 2000 FU (100 mg) twice a day Bromelain 500 mg once a day Nano/Liposomal Curcumin 500 mg twice a day Related: Nattokinase, Bromelain and Curcumin from The Wellness Company Additional products can be added, including NAC, IVM (Ivermectin), HCQ (Hydroxychloroquine), fluvoxamine, low-dose naltrexone, and blood thinners, depending on the clinical evaluation and the syndrome. The therapeutic objectiv
Read more

Dr Peter McCullough: Povidone Iodine, Oral and Nasal Hygiene (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Dr. Peter McCullough is an internist, cardiologist, epidemiologist, a full professor of medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Dallas, USA. He also has a master's degree in public health and is known for being one of the top five most-published medical researchers in the United States and is the editor of two medical journals. McCullough Protocol 2022 Updates:  Double blind randomized controlled trial of saline solution gargling and nasal rinsing in COVID infection (Nov 2023) What really killed COVID-19 patients: It wasn't a cytokine storm, suggests study  (2023) Everyone is familiar with nasal and oral swab testing for COVID-19. It should be obvious the virus is replicating in the nose, and with Omicron, the speed of replication has become much greater than the pri
Read more

Dr Peter McCullough Early Treatment Protocol

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Well-respected North Texas cardiologist, Dr. Peter McCullough has impeccable academic credentials. He's an internist, cardiologist, epidemiologist, a full professor of medicine at Texas A&M College of Medicine in Dallas. He also has a master's degree in public health and is known for being one of the top five most-published medical researchers in the United States and is the editor of two medical journals. McCullough et al. Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, 2020 McCullough Protocol 2022 Updates:  How to Detox Spike Protein from Body  (November 2023) Use of hydroxychloroquine in multidrug protocols for SARS-CoV-2 (October 2024) Paxlovid for Vaccinated or Unvaccinated Adult Outpatients with C
Read more

Find a Doctor to prescribe Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin and Early Outpatient Treatments (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Treatment should start based on clinical suspicion as soon as possible, preferably within the first 3 days of symptoms. Perform PCR testing, but do not withhold treatment pending results. 'Early' treatment will make significant difference in outcome as opposed to late treatment.  Related: How can I get Ivermectin? See the directory of professionals in US below. Directory of Doctors (by State) Prescribing Effective Outpatient COVID-19 Therapy USA ​ MULTIPLE STATES (Telemedicine or online consultation) The Wellness Company ( twc.health ) Medical Specialty: Family Medicine, Functional Medicine Supported Protocols: I-PREVENT (COVID Protection), I-CARE (Early at-home treatment), I-RECOVER (Long COVID and Post-Vaccine treatment) Dr. Miguel Antonatos (IVM) (855) 767-8559  https://text2md.com (States: AL, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, ND, NE, NJ, NV, OK, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, WI, WV)
Read more

How to Make Povidone Iodine 1% Nasal Spray (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Is povidone iodine the next ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine? Is there any evidence that povidone iodine can treat COVID-19? Iodine 1% Nasal Spray is part of the FLCCC I-CARE early treatment protocol :  Nasal spray with 1% povidone-iodine: 2-3 times a day. Do not use for more than 5 days in pregnancy. If 1% product is not available, dilute the more widely available 10% solution and apply 4-5 drops to each nostril every 4 hours. Use 1 % povidone iodine commercial product as per instructions 2–3 x daily. If 1 %-product not available, must first dilute the more widely available 10 %-solution. To make 1% povidone iodine concentrated solution from 10% povidone iodine solution, one dilution method is as follows: – First pour 1½ tablespoons (25ml) of 10% povidone/ iodine solution into a nasal irrigation bottle of
Read more

FLCCC I-Recover Protocol: Post Vaccine Treatment Protocol (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Over the last three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed almost every aspect of our lives before we've had time to stop and question it. Although no official definition exists for post-COVID-vaccine syndrome, a temporal correlation between a patient receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and beginning or worsening of clinical manifestations is sufficient to diagnose as a COVID-19 vaccine-induced injury, when the symptoms are unexplained by other concurrent causes. Dr. Paul Marik and Dr. Pierre Kory are pleased to introduce the I-RECOVER: Post-Vaccine Treatment protocol, designed to help people who have experienced adverse symptoms after a COVID vaccine. Kory and Marik are both part of the FLCCC, which was founded in 2020 to share early treatment protocols for COVID-19. Kory is an ICU specialist, triple board certified in internal medicine, critical care and pulmonary medicine. He now runs a private tele-health practice specializing in the treatment
Read more

Front Line Doctors Ivermectin Protocol for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) Alliance was initially formed as a working group during the early COVID-19 pandemic days in response to multiple early reports of COVID patients with an inexplicably high need for prolonged mechanical ventilation and an excessive death rate.  Based on rapidly emerging clinical trials evidence, the FLCCC team has developed the   I-MASK+ protocol   ( is now divided into I-Prevent and I-Care protocols ) for prophylaxis and at home treatment of early stage COVID-19. Quercetin, zinc and a number of nutrients and drugs are part of this protocol, not only for critical care but also for prophylaxis and mild disease being treated at home. This article, we will dive deeper to provide the scientific background, related references and rationale of the FLCCC protocols. FLCCC ( Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care)  Protocols I-MASK+ Prevention & Early Outpatient Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 was designed for use as a prevention and in early outpatien
Read more

Quercetin and Zinc: Zelenko Treatment Protocol

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
As of July 2024, more than 35 studies on the topic of zinc and COVID-19  ( c19zinc.com )  (constantly updated) and more than 10 studies on quercetin and COVID-19 have been published  ( c19quercetin.com ).  Dr. Zelenko’s main hypothesis based on the data showing that early intervention and treatment of high-risk patients with COVID-19 results in significantly few hospitalizations and deaths. This treatment regimen involving zinc, low-dose hydroxychloroquine, and azithromycin (published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents ) is also apparently known as, “The Zelenko Protocol.” Quercetin and Zinc The Zelenko Covid-19 Protocols was developed by Dr Vladimir Zelenko. The protocol has as its centerpiece, but not exclusive piece, the combined use of  Hydroxychloroquine  (HCQ) and Zinc as a means by which a person can both help to prevent or mitigate the contraction of COVID-19, or can actually treat the disease once it has been diagnosed.  Quercetin is a natural antihistamine a
Read more

FLCCC I-CARE COVID Treatment Protocol for Outpatients (2024)

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
Early treatment is critical and the most important factor in managing this disease. COVID-19 is a clinical diagnosis; a confirmed antigen or PCR test is not required. Treatment should be initiated immediately after the onset of flu-like symptoms. The multiple therapies and drugs in this protocol have different mechanisms of action and work synergistically during various phases of the disease. About I-CARE Protocol The information in this document is our recommended approach to COVID-19 based on the best (and most recent) literature. It is provided as guidance to healthcare providers worldwide on the early treatment of COVID-19. Patients should always consult with their provider before starting any medical treatment. New medications may be added and/or changes made to doses of existing medications as further evidence emerges. Please be sure you are using the latest version of this protocol. Warning (anesthesia and surgery): Please notify your anesthesia team if you are using the followi
Read more

America's Frontline Doctors Early Treatment Protocol and Contact a Physician

By Dr Frank Yap, M.D. -
Image
  SELF-HELP without a Doctor ( source ) Zinc  50 mg daily (can take half twice daily if upset stomach) Quercetin  500 mg twice a day three times a day if sick (switch to HCQ/IVM if available) Vitamin D3  40,000-50,000 for five days Melatonin  5 mg - 20 mg nightly for 14 days stomach) Pepcid  40-80 daily 14 days – women or Cimetidine 400 daily -men Full Aspirin  (325 mg) daily one month N acetyl cysteine (NAC)  Up to 2000-2400 mg 1-2 days, then 1000-1200 mg for a week Treatment: Latest Prescriptions ( source ) Monoclonal Antibodies:  outpatient, FDA approved, early treatment, within 10 days Only. Note and Update: Omicron variant XBB found to be resistant to monoclonal antibody treatments ( New England Journal of Medicine . Dec 2022) HCQ  200 mg twice a day 7 days or IVM (weight based 0.4/kg) 20-36 mg daily 2-5 days Fenofibrate (Tricor – anti-lipid)  145 mg daily (inflammatory/cytokine phase. Antioxidant) Cyproheptadine (Periactin – antihistamine)  4 mg BID for 14 days (cytokine phase) D
Read more

Labels

Show more