Betadine mouthwashes are effective against COVID-19
Multiple systematic reviews, clinical trials, and in vitro studies indicate that Betadine (povidone-iodine) mouthwashes are effective at temporarily reducing the salivary and aerosolized viral load of SARS-CoV-2.
The retrieved literature consistently supports the claim that Betadine (povidone-iodine) mouthwashes demonstrate virucidal and antiviral efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 both in vitro and in vivo. Multiple systematic reviews, randomized trials, and laboratory evaluations show statistically significant reductions in viral load following use. There are no papers refuting this efficacy, though several note the reductions are transient and serve as an adjunctive infection-control measure.
Mezarina Mendoza JPI, Trelles Ubillús BP, Salcedo Bolívar GT, Castañeda Palacios RDP, Herrera Lopez PSG, Padilla Rodríguez DA, Uchima Koecklin KH. Antiviral effect of mouthwashes against SARS-COV-2: A systematic review.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sdentj.2022.01.006
A systematic review found that povidone-iodine mouthwashes effectively reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load both in vitro and in vivo.
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Stathis C, Victoria N, Loomis K, Nguyen SA, Eggers M, Septimus E, Safdar N. Review of the use of nasal and oral antiseptics during a global pandemic.. 2021. https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2020-0286
A review on nasal and oral antiseptics notes that povidone-iodine demonstrates the ability to significantly cut the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.
Alzahrani MM, Bamashmous S, Alkharobi H, Alghamdi A, Alharbi RH, Hassan AM, Darwish M, Bukhari A, Mahmoud AB, Alfaleh MA, Mirza AA, Abuzenadah AM, Abujamel TS, Hashem AM. Mouth rinses efficacy on salivary SARS-CoV-2 viral load: A randomized clinical trial.. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.28412
A randomized clinical trial indicated that a 1% povidone-iodine mouth rinse significantly reduced salivary viral load compared to no-rinse controls.
Lim NA, Teng O, Ng CYH, Bao LXY, Tambyah PA, Quek AML, Seet RCS. Repurposing povidone-iodine to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission: a narrative review.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2022.2076902
A narrative review highlights accumulating data supporting the antiviral effects of povidone-iodine against SARS-CoV-2.
Silva A, Azevedo M, Sampaio-Maia B, Sousa-Pinto B. The effect of mouthrinses on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral load: A systematic review.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2021.12.007
A systematic review concludes that povidone-iodine-based mouthrinses appear to be an optimal option for reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load.
Fantozzi PJ, Pampena E, Pierangeli A, Oliveto G, Sorrentino L, Di Vanna D, Pampena R, Lazzaro A, Gentilini E, Mastroianni CM, D'Ettorre G, Polimeni A, Romeo U, Villa A. Efficacy of antiseptic mouthrinses against SARS-CoV-2: A prospective randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2022.103549
A prospective pilot study found that 1% povidone-iodine was effective in reducing oral SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, with virus becoming undetectable in several patients.
Hup WWY, Chang LY, Chai WL. Efficacy of Mouthwashes Delivered via Dental Unit Waterlines in Reducing Aerosolized Surrogate SARS-CoV-2.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.12659/msm.950753
An experimental study demonstrated that povidone-iodine rapidly and effectively reduced aerosolized surrogate SARS-CoV-2 within 30 seconds.
Sayana Nazrine, Ritesh Kulal, BM Shivaprasad, Nimmi Janardhanan. In vivo efficacy of 2% povidone iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate, and herbal extract mouthwash on SARS-CoV-2 viral load in saliva: A randomized clinical trial. 2023. https://doi.org/10.4103/jisp.jisp_469_22
A randomized clinical trial observed a statistically significant reduction in salivary SARS-CoV-2 viral load following the use of povidone-iodine mouthwash.
Vitiello F, Lan R, Orsini G, Bourgeois D, Carrouel F. The Role of Saliva and Mouthwashes in the Detection and Reduction of Oral Viral Load: A Scoping Review.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17111509
A scoping review notes that povidone-iodine mouthwashes produce measurable, albeit short-lived, reductions in salivary viral load.
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