One way is to rinse your nose with saltwater twice a day (opens in a new tab), which flushes out germs such as viruses, bacteria and fungi.
When you have a respiratory infection, your nose and sinuses make extra mucus. Rinsing clears out that mucus and the viruses and bacteria stuck in it. That can ease your symptoms and swelling, help your nose work better, and may make the illness less severe.
Cleaning your mouth helps too. Good oral hygiene helps you breathe easier, may lower your risk of the flu (opens in a new tab), and cuts down bacteria linked to gum disease and even diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer (opens in a new tab).
Quick Reads
Twice-daily nasal irrigation reduces COVID-related illness, death
- Twice daily flushing of the mucus-lined nasal cavity with a mild saline solution soon after testing positive for COVID-19 can significantly reduce hospitalization and death.
- The technique can be used at home by mixing a half teaspoon each of salt and baking soda in a cup of boiled or distilled water then putting it into a sinus rinse bottle.
- The technique is a safe, effective and inexpensive way to reduce the risk of severe illness and death from coronavirus infection that could have a vital public health impact.
- The study appears to be the largest prospective clinical trial of its kind.
- The older, high-risk population they studied, many of whom had preexisting conditions like obesity and hypertension, may benefit most from the easy, inexpensive practice.
- The investigators found that less than 1.3% of the 79 study subjects age 55 and older who enrolled within 24-hours of testing positive for COVID-19 between Sept. 24 and Dec. 21, 2020, experienced hospitalization. No one died.
- The reduction from 11% to 1.3% as of November 2021 would have corresponded in absolute terms to over 1 million fewer older Americans requiring admission.
Do saline water gargling and nasal irrigation confer protection against COVID-19?
- Saline water gargling and nasal irrigation can be attempted fairly easily by most individuals and are harmless approaches.
- They can be easily implemented by individuals with mild symptoms, those facing obstacles to physician visits, and especially by those in home quarantine.
- These are suitable options worth considering in the current crisis.
Saline nasal irrigation and gargling in COVID-19: a multidisciplinary review of effects on viral load, mucosal dynamics, and patient outcomes
- Saline nasal irrigation and gargling may help reduce viral load and improve patient outcomes in COVID-19.
- Saline may help improve mucosal dynamics and prevent persistent post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction.
- Nasal irrigation and gargling with hypertonic saline may prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to care home residents.
- Gargling with povidone iodine has a short-term inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 in patients with COVID-19.
- Inhalation of saline may reduce the risk of infection with coronaviruses