Salisbury District Hospital staff to be given mouthwash to help fight Covid-19
It's after research by a consultant there
Last updated 4th Feb 2022
All NHS staff that work at Salisbury District Hospital are going to receive free mouthwash to help battle Covid-19.
It's part of pioneering initiative which includes the research work done by Salisbury Consultant Radiologist Dr Graham Lloyd-Jones, who has proposed that simple oral hygiene measures could reduce severe infection.
All Covid patients at SDH since October 2021 have received a supply of mouthwash.
4,100 bottles of mouthwash are being distributed to Salisbury Hospital staff in this latest development in the hospital’s drive to improve oral healthcare.
Dr Lloyd-Jones explained:
"The lung disease of COVID-19 is in the blood vessels, not in the airways. The virus enters the nose and replicates in the mouth. A single teaspoon of saliva contains 500 million copies of the virus. The virus could easily leak from your saliva into the blood vessels of the mouth, especially if you have gum disease or bleeding gums. The virus would then be passed directly to the lungs via the bloodstream exactly to the areas where it does the most damage. There are everyday oral hygiene steps which might reduce the virus in the mouth and saliva, and lower the risk of it spreading to the lungs."
Dr Lloyd-Jones first published his theory describing the potential for the passage of SARS-CoV-2 from the mouth to the lungs via the blood vessels in February 2021.
Since then, he has been working with academics, clinicians and gum disease experts to prove his theory.
Research from Cardiff University, has also shown that some mouthwash products contain ingredients which completely eradicate SARS-CoV-2 in the test tube in 30 seconds.
Stacey Hunter, CEO of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We are aiming for excellence in oral healthcare and whilst studies are ongoing, we are forging ahead with this pioneering initiative. The measures we are putting in place are based on existing evidence that shows paying attention to oral healthcare for inpatients is beneficial, shortening hospital stay and even reducing death rate.”