PVP-I–based solutions as a preprocedural rinse in the dental setting have been suggested as an effective measure in reducing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) oral load.

Considering that the oral cavity is a major entryway and reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, the authors conducted a systematic review of in vivo and in vitro studies to assess the effectiveness of mouth rinses on SARS-CoV-2 viral load.

This study searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, MedRxiv, and bioRxiv databases, including in vitro and in vivo studies assessing the virucidal effect of mouth rinses on SARS-CoV-2 or surrogates.

The findings revealed that Povidone-iodine-based mouth rinse was the most studied mouth rinse (14 in vitro and 9 in vivo studies), frequently showing significant reductions in viral load in in-vitro assays. Povidone-iodine-based mouth rinses appeared to be the best option as an oral pre-rinse in the dental context for SARS-CoV-2 viral load reduction with application times up to 60 seconds showed moderate to high efficacy in reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load. Similarly, cetylpyridinium chloride also showed promising results, although it was evaluated in fewer studies. Chlorhexidine gluconate and hydrogen peroxide showed conflicting results on SARS-CoV-2 load reduction in both in vitro and in vivo studies.

Source: Silva A, Azevedo M, Sampaio-Maia B, Sousa-Pinto B. The effect of mouthrinses on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus two viral load: A systematic review. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022 Jul;153(7):635-648.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.12.007.