Catherine Clase, who is a professor at McMaster University in Canada, led the literature study recently conducted with Karolinska Institutet on the effects of mouth protection in fabric. The result is clear, she says: If mouth guards are used correctly, they can help reduce the spread of viruses.
On the issue of oral protection, Sweden opposes large parts of the world and the Public Health Agency writes on its website that "the scientific basis is weak when it comes to how effective oral protection is against the spread of infection, which is why different countries have landed differently in their recommendations".
Weighs advantages against disadvantagesCatherine Clase is not surprised that Sweden has chosen a different line than large parts of the world, but she does not think that the argument that the scientific basis is too weak is enough to hesitate.
- In evidence-based research, we are used to making decisions even if we do not have the clinical evidence. We do it all the time. We weigh advantages against disadvantages.
She herself uses mouth guards in public places and recommends Swedes to do so.
- If you are unsure if you have had covid-19 and want to avoid getting it, wear a mouth guard, made of two layers of cotton, and learn to put it on and off, as well as store and wash it, now the new normal.