BY: Dr. Nonso Onyia
The coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time. This is the greatest challenge the world has faced since World War Two. Since its emergence in Asia late last year, the virus has spread to every continent except Antarctica.
Numbers of new cases are on the rise as well as mortality rate. Several states and nations have adopted several approaches towards halting the spread, particularly, enforcements of social distancing, international border closures, compulsory curfews and fierce campaign for a meticulous personal hygiene.
The key theme has always been, ‘stop the spread’ as there are no approved vaccines and no definitive therapeutic drugs at the moment. Regular handwashing has been globally promoted as an effective way of minimizing mucosal contact with respiratory droplets from infected individuals.
Observations and researches are beginning to emerge, that opines that regular teeth brushing is as important as regular hand washing in the fight against COVID 19.
It has long been established that poor oral hygiene is an important factor that could influence occurrence of respiratory infection. This is especially relevant at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic.
COVID 19 and indeed viral respiratory tract infections are spread via droplets released majorly by sneezing, coughing and talking.World Health Organization claims that 2019-nCoV spreads primarily through saliva droplets or discharge from the nose. SARS-CoV have been detected in high titres in saliva, this has fueled the prospects of use of saliva as a screening and diagnostic fluid for COVID. This have been put to test in Hong Kong by their Public Health Laboratory Services Department and also in RUCDR Infinite Biologics at Rutgers University with favorable and assenting conclusions.
The practice of hand washing with soap or antimicrobial gels to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, is based on basic biological principles that detergents and antiseptics can destroy or remove range of infectious microbes from the hands, thereby reducing the risk of indirect self or person to person infection. Similarly, toothpastes and mouthwashes contain detergents and other substances, similar to those in soaps and hand sanitizers, that have antiviral actions and these could also reduce the ability of the Covid-19 to spread.
Martin Addy, Emeritus Professor of Dentistry at the University of Bristol, said toothpaste can reduce the chances of catching or spreading COVID 19 through the mouth. He stressed that the effect of the toothpaste can last for three to five hours, thereby, would reduce the viral load in saliva of an infected individual or and as well as reduces o infection by viruses entering the mouth of a health individual.
Consequently, it is instructive to recommended that, in addition to the routine practice of brushing the teeth for two minutes twice daily, the timing can be adjusted to coincide with or in addition to, when an individual is about leaving his/her house.
Governments, media, Dental professionals and infectious disease agencies should revolutionize the messages to include “regular teeth brushing and use of oral rinses” as a preventive measure against spread of COVID 19.
Spread the message. Stay at home, always wear your face mask if you must have contact with people, wash your hands regularly and Brush away COVID 19.
About the Author:
Dr. Nonso Onyia is UNIBEN trained Dental Surgeon and a Researcher. He is the Oral Health Advocate for Vincitore Dental Clinic, Calabar @calabar_dentist.