COVID-19 in Dental Practice Is Prevented by Eugenol Responsible for the Ambient Odor Specific to Dental Offices: Possibility and Speculation

Abstract

Dental professionals routinely work in proximity to patients even when either or both of them have suspected or confirmed COVID-19. The oral cavity also serves as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 because the virus is present in and replicates in oral secretions (saliva and gingival crevicular fluid), oral tissues (salivary gland and periodontal tissue), and oral microenvironments (gingival sulcus and periodontal pocket). Despite a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the prevalence of COVID-19 in dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and their patients was similar to that in the general population even during the pandemic. We propose that eugenol, which is responsible for the ambient odor specific to dental offices, could contribute to prevention of COVID-19 in dental settings. Eugenol is not only released from dental materials (filling, cement, and sealer) but is also aerosolized by dental procedures (grinding, polishing, and restoration). Such eugenol has been suggested to possess the potential to inhibit the infectivity and replication of SARS-CoV-2, the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells by binding specifically to the viral spike protein, and the protease indispensable for SARS-CoV-2 replication. It has been shown that aerosolized eugenol acts on airborne viruses to reduce their loads. This review highlights a hypothesis that the environment of dental offices impregnated with eugenol suppresses SARS-CoV-2 airborne transmission and SARS-CoV-2 contagion between dental professionals and patients, preventing COVID-19 in dental practice. Anti-COVID-19 eugenol might give insights into the safe delivery of dental treatment and oral care in the COVID-19 era.