No Scientific Proof that Listerine Kills COVID-19 Virus

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said last week that mouthwash is one way to protect from COVID-19. Johnson regularly promotes unproven remedies for COVID-19 and expresses doubt in proven ways to combat the pandemic like vaccines. However, there is no scientific proof that Listerine kills the coronavirus in the mouth. The maker of Listerine unequivocally states that “there no evidence-based clinical conclusions with regards to the anti-viral efficacy of Listerine antiseptic mouthwash ... more research is needed to understand whether mouthwashes can impact viral transmission, exposure, viral entry, viral load and ultimately affect meaningful clinical outcomes.”