KATHMANDU: Gargling with mouthwashes can lower the risk of Covid-19 transmission by reducing the viral particles in the mouth and throat, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

Craig Meyers, a professor of microbiology and immunology and obstetrics and gynaecology, led a group of physicians and scientists who tested several oral and nasopharyngeal rinses in a laboratory setting for their ability to inactivate human coronaviruses, which are similar in structure to SARS-CoV-2. The products evaluated include a 1 percent solution of baby shampoo, a neti pot, peroxide sore-mouth cleansers, and mouthwashes.

“While we wait for a vaccine to be developed, methods to reduce transmission are needed,” according to Meyers. He also stated that the products tested are readily available and often already part of people’s daily routines.

To measure how much virus was inactivated, the researchers placed the diluted solutions in contact with cultured human cells.

The results with mouthwashes are promising and add to the findings of a study showing that certain types of oral products could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 in similar experimental conditions, the study noted.