In Sweden, the public has not been asked to wear mouth guards in, for example, shops or public transport. According to the Swedish Public Health Agency, there is a lack of sufficient research that shows that masks are an effective way to reduce the spread of infection.

The authority rather believes that mouth guards could create a false sense of security in people and lead to citizens stopping distancing themselves from each other.

"Keeping your distance is much more important than wearing face masks," said Anders Tegnell in Aktuellt on 13 August.

- Face masks can never be a substitute for keeping a distance, then we definitely increase the risk of the spread of infection in society, he said.

"Should follow WHO recommendation"

At the same time, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for oral protection to be used in public places where it is difficult to keep distance from each other.

- This recommendation applies to many other countries and we should do the same here, says the Sweden Democrats' party leader Jimmie Åkesson.

SD alone in the criticism

The Sweden Democrats therefore want both the Swedish Public Health Agency and the government to urge citizens to wear mouth guards in this type of situation.

But the Sweden Democrats are alone in making party politics out of the issue. No other party goes against the Public Health Agency's assessment, SVT's survey shows.

- In Sweden, the parties do not make medical decisions. The expert authorities do that, the Social Democrats write in a statement to SVT News.