Coronaviruses could enter the body not only via the respiratory tract, but also via the bloodstream.
Researchers have investigated what this has to do with good oral hygiene.
Coronaviruses penetrate the respiratory tract through the mouth and nose and thus reach the lungs. But according to an international team of researchers, there is another explanation for how Sars-CoV-2 can spread in the human body. In an experiment that has not yet been verified, the dentists found that the virus can also migrate directly from the mouth to the lungs via the bloodstream.
Their conclusion: good dental and oral hygiene can prevent the spread of coronaviruses in the body.
Among other things, the specialist portal Eurekalert provides information on the new study by a research team led by Iain Chapple, Professor of Periodontology at the University of Birmingham.
Above all, gum disease is a dangerous gateway for coronaviruses,
which can get into the bloodstream, explain the researchers.
There are indications that coronaviruses first attack the blood vessels of the lungs and not the airways, as previously assumed, it continues.
Daily use of mouthwash could effectively protect against corona
Another explosive finding from the dental experts: Periodontal disease was associated with an increased risk of corona death. Researchers suspect that the buildup of dental plaque and periodontal inflammation increases the likelihood of Sars-CoV-2 reaching the lungs and causing more severe cases of the infection, eurekalert.org cited.
Thorough dental and oral hygiene can be equated with a potentially life-saving measure and can reduce the risk of the virus being transmitted from the mouth to the lungs
.
"Gum disease makes the gums leaky, which allows microorganisms to get into the blood. Simple measures - such as careful tooth brushing and interdental brushing to reduce plaque build-up, along with special mouthwashes or even salt water rinses to reduce inflammation of the gums - could help reduce the concentration of the virus in saliva and reduce the development of lung disease and reduce the risk of deterioration into severe Covid-19 disease, "said co-author Iain Chapple, professor of periodontics at the University of Birmingham.
(jg)
Read more
: With mouthwash against corona?
Researchers find promising links.
These things are bad for your teeth
These things are bad for your teeth