Active oxygen oral rinse: chairside treatments against coronavirus infections
Published in International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health.
ABSTRACT
In 2020, many patients were infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. The identification of coronavirus in saliva has suggested the oral cavity as a potential reservoir for COVID-19 transmission, particularly in dental clinics. Chairside oral rinses have been widely used as a standard measure before routine dental treatment for many years. Recently, the use of chairside oral rinse has been recalled as a pre-procedural infection control measure by several health authorities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there is still no clinical evidence, oral rinses containing active oxygen agents (e.g. BlueM formula) have been recommended to reduce the viral load in aerosols and drops during oral procedures. This paper aimed to provide an overview of the current guidelines and recommendations on the use of active oxygen oral rinse as chairside treatment against the COVID-19 pandemic in dentistry.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that active oxygen formulated oral rinses may have a sustained effect on reducing the salivary viral load in COVID-19 patients. The oxidative-containing oral rinses could be a useful prevention strategy against coronavirus transmission in dental clinics, where aerosol generation is unavoidable. Also, the routine use of active oxygen formula (e.g. BlueM) could be a cost-effective approach in reducing viral outspread, with potentially no risk on oral tissues or normal microflora. Finally, in dental clinics, it is highly recommended to apply all appropriate personal protection equipment to control aerosol-generating procedures, especially with COVID-19 patients.