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. 2021 Dec 23;6:109–110. doi: 10.1016/j.jdin.2021.12.002

Table I.

Summary of key data demonstrating the efficacy and safety of oral rinse agents

Oral rinse agent Efficacy Safety
PVP-I In vitro:
Short contact therapy (15-60 s) with 0.23%-1.5% PVP-I caused a significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 viral load.1, 3
5% dilution completely blocked viral infectivity.4
In vivo:
1% PVP-I for 60 s substantially reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral load over 3 h.3, 5
0.5% PVP-I for 30 s considerably diminished salivary SARS-CoV-2 6 h after use.2
There are no known adverse effects of concentrations up to 2.5%, used for up to 5 consecutive mo.5
Contraindicated in patients with iodine allergy, thyroid disease, pregnancy, or radioactive iodine use.5
CHX In vitro:
12% CHX had minimal antiviral efficacy against coronaviruses.1
50% dilution completely blocked viral infectivity; 5% dilution moderately suppressed viral infectivity.4
In vivo:
0.2% CHX for 30 s showed inconsistent and variable efficacy among study subjects.2
0.12% CHX for 15 s led to a transient decrease in the level of SARS-CoV-2 2 h after treatment.1, 5
Adverse effects include teeth staining, supragingival calculus formation, and gustatory changes.5
H2O2 In vitro:1.5-
3% H2O2 for 15-30 s failed to produce adequate antiviral activity.3
5% dilution of Colgate Peroxyl (1.5% H2O2) completely blocked viral infectivity.4
In vivo:
1% H2O2 for 30 s showed no significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 at 30 min after treatment.5
No known adverse effects.4
Listerine Antiseptic Original (20%-30% ethanol and essential oils) In vitro:
50% dilution completely blocked viral infectivity; 5% dilution moderately suppressed viral infectivity.4
No known adverse effects.4
Colgate Plax (CPC) In vivo:
0.075% CPC for 30 s significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 load for up to 6 h after treatment.2
No known adverse effects.2

CHX, Chlorhexidine; CPC, cetylpyridinium chloride; H2O2, hydrogen peroxide; PVP-I, povidone-iodine; RT-PCR, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.