[WSJ] Wash your hands, wear a mask and don’t forget to gargle with mouthwash.That’s the message Unilever UL 0.65%▲ PLC and Colgate-Palmolive Co. CL 0.11%▲ are carefully starting to push after research they commissioned showed that certain types of mouthwash and toothpaste could potentially help deactivate the virus that causes Covid-19.
Now, Unilever is launching mouthwash brands in new markets, while Colgate has shared the results of its study with dentists.
Reducing virus particles in the mouth could help fight against the pandemic, the companies said, because Covid-19 can be spread through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. Both companies said the mouthwashes dissolve the outer protective layer of virus particles, preventing them from attaching to cells and infecting them.
But based on tests so far they can’t definitively say how long the benefit would last or what impact coughing would have. That makes it hard to judge how useful oral-hygiene products could be in curbing transmission.
Unilever said an October lab-based study it commissioned found mouthwash containing cetylpyridinium chloride, or CPC—an ingredient used by dentists for its antibacterial properties—reduced SARS-CoV-2 particles by 99.9% after 30 seconds of rinsing.
"While we are clear that this is not a cure or proven way to prevent the transmission of coronavirus, the results are very promising," said Glyn Roberts, Unilever’s head of research and development for oral care.