A pre-procedural mouth rinse is an antimicrobial mouth rinse used by patients before a dental procedure. Antimicrobial agents such as chlorine dioxide, chlorhexidine, povidone iodine, hydrogen peroxide etc. are used. Pre-procedural rinsing reduces the number of microorganisms that a patient might release in the form of aerosols that can contaminate the surface in the dental clinic and transmit the disease to other health care professionals.

1. 16 STUDENT DIGEST | MUMBAI | AUGUST 2020
Covid-19 Pandemic:
one person to another through saliva droplets or nasal
discharges when an infected person sneezes, coughs
or speaks.Poor oral hygiene also increases the risk of
COVID-19. Therefore, it is necessary to minimize the viral
load in the saliva and prevent the spread of disease.
Dental procedures like ultrasonic scaling and airotor based
procedures generate aerosols in dental setup. When a
virus gets into the air as aerosols during dental treatments,
can lead to airborne transmission. They also settle down
on the chair, instruments, equipment and contaminate
the environmental surfaces. Hence pre-procedural
rinsing should be considered to prevent the transmission
of coronavirus disease before commencing any dental
treatment.
Pre-procedural Mouth Rinse:
Apre-proceduralmouthrinseisanantimicrobialmouthrinse
used by patients before a dental procedure. Antimicrobial
agents such as chlorinedioxide, chlorhexidine, povidone-
iodine, hydrogen peroxide etc. are used. Pre-procedural
rinsing reduces the number of microorganisms that a
patient might release in the form of aerosols that can
contaminate the surface in the dental clinic and transmit
the disease to other health care professionals.
Chlorine Dioxide Mouth Rinse:
used to prevent plaque, gingivitis, halitosis and post-
surgery. It is bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal.
Coronavirus is an enveloped virus which has spike proteins
on their surface. These spikes contain host binding sites
on them. When chlorine dioxide comes in contact with
the virus it denatures the tyrosine, tryptophan, cysteine
Health
residues on the spike protein, deactivating the receptor
binding and oxidizes genetic material of the virus, disabling
selective oxidation.
Efficacy of Chlorine Dioxide:
Research studies have shown that ClO2
has virucidal
properties in vitro, including against coronaviruses, with a
0.004% (wt/vol %) solution of chlorine dioxide effectively
inactivating 100% of SARS-CoV in waste water after
exposure for 5 minutes, and inactivating 94.4% of the virus
after exposure of 1 minute.
Pre-rinsing with chlorine dioxide mouth rinse is effective
for aerosol control during ultrasonic scaling. Unlike other
mouth rinses, chlorine dioxide does not stain teeth, does
not the alter taste, less toxic and safe for long term use.
Chlorine dioxide in low dose aqueous solution is an ideal
and effective solution.
Advantages of Pre-procedural Rinsing:
1. Reduces airborne transmission and surface
contamination: Most dental procedures generate
aerosols and droplets, which become effective vehicles
for spreading the disease and contaminate surfaces and
instruments. Prerinsing reduces airborne transmission
and surface contamination in the treatment areas.
2. Reduces transmission of microbes from the oral
cavity to other internal organs: COVID-19 has a
deleterious effect on the respiratory system. Rinsing
with antimicrobial mouth rinse reduces the microbial
load in saliva and minimizes the risk of transfer of
microbes from the oral cavity to the lungs.
3. Prophylactic mouth rinse: Healthcare professionals
treating COVID-19 patients are at higher risk of
prophylaxis may help health care professionals.
COVID -19:
Pre-procedural Rinse
for Dental Patients
Dr. Kamala D. N.
Dental Surgeon
Bangalore, Karnataka
COVID-19 is an infectious viral disease which spreads from
Chlorine dioxide (Freshclor) is an antimicrobial mouth rinse
it. Chlorine dioxide removes viruses through the process of
infection. Therefore use of antimicrobial mouth rinse as
COVID- 19 Transmission in Dental Clinic: