Use of Glycopyrrolate as an Adjunct for Reduction of Aerosol Transmission of Covid-19 During Dental Procedures: A Hypothesis

Abstract

COVID-19 global pandemic has become the biggest challenge by causing health crisis across the world due to its contagious nature. Salivary gland acts as a reservoir of virus due to which contaminated saliva plays a pivotal role in COVID-19 transmission among humans. Infection transmission from symptomatic patients as well as asymptomatic carriers is inevitable while performing aerosol generating procedures because contaminated aerosols have potential to float in the air for a considerable amount of time and be inhaled by dentist, dental auxiliary and other patients. Hence, it is a matter of utmost importance to keep upgrading the strategies for prevention of transmission as the outbreak of SARS-COV 2 has clearly placed the health care professionals at highest risk. As excess salivary secretion results in more aerosol contamination in dental procedures, leading to higher risk of transmission antisialogogues can be used to reduce salivary production. This new strategy will be helpful towards reducing aerosol transmission inorder to prevent and control the spread of this highly infectious disease. The aim of this present review is to propose the possible use of antisialogogues (glycopyrrolates) as an adjunct aid in reducing the risk of transmission from contaminated aerosols.