BACKGROUND

Public health was again at risk due to the appearance of new COVID-19 variants. Coronavirus Disease (COVID19) transmission occurs mainly through the oral mucosa. Specifically, nurses who care for or interact with hospitalized patients directly have a higher risk of contracting the virus. In order to manage the viral load in respiratory secretions, nurses need to be aware of evidence-based practices as clinical care providers. The unsophisticated application and the effectiveness of Chlorhexidine (CHX) Mouthwash as an independent nursing intervention to mitigate cross-contamination and reduce SARSCoV-2 transmission remains clinically significant.

OBJECTIVE

The study's objective was to determine the effectiveness of Chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash in reducing SARSCoV-2 viral load among COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

A systematic review of effectiveness was conducted. The databases included the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and BMJ Clinical Evidence and recruitment studies published between 2021-2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Controlled Trials was used to evaluate the risk of bias.

RESULTS

A total of 523 patients from 10 clinical studies were included in this analysis. The review demonstrated the potential effectiveness of CHX Mouthwash in reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load among COVID-19 patients admitted to a healthcare facility.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This review summarized current evidence on the antimicrobial and virucidal effects of chlorhexidine (CHX) in clinical settings. Findings indicated that CHX mouthwash may help reduce the SARS-CoV-2 viral load among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. However, variations in study design and outcomes, along with the narrative synthesis approach, limited causal interpretation. The results may guide clinical nurses and healthcare institutions in updating infection control practices and oral care protocols for patients with COVID-19.

Human ; Chlorhexidine ; Covid-19 ; Sars-cov-2 ; Health

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