If we use alcohol as disinfectant, why drinking it doesnt solve throat infection / sore throat?
In: 5842
You think quickly passing some alcohol down your throat is going to magically kill all the viruses and bacteria hiding out in all your various nasal passageways and side your mucus membranes?? That’s some pretty magical stuff.
for the same reason that pouring disinfectant over your chest won’t cure pneumonia, or pouring it over your leg wouldn’t cure an infected injury.
and because of concentration too.
it’s easy to think of your mouth as “inside your body” but it’s really not. mucus membranes are more permeable than surface skin, but they’re still part of your body’s barrier, the bacteria aren’t sitting around on the outside hanging out, if they were there wouldn’t be an infection. they’re inside the tissues, sometimes inside the very cells.
also, alcohol is a disinfectant, but for significant effectiveness it needs to be at least 60% concentration in contact with the surface for 30 or more seconds.
first no one drinks in a way the alcohol is coating your throat for 30 seconds. but secondly, 60% is 120 proof, plus that’s the minimum and your saliva will dilute the alcohol somewhat, so unless you’re drinking 130 proof or more liquor straight with no ice or mixer, you’re not actually drinking a sanitizer
for the same reason that pouring disinfectant over your chest won’t cure pneumonia, or pouring it over your leg wouldn’t cure an infected injury.
and because of concentration too.
it’s easy to think of your mouth as “inside your body” but it’s really not. mucus membranes are more permeable than surface skin, but they’re still part of your body’s barrier, the bacteria aren’t sitting around on the outside hanging out, if they were there wouldn’t be an infection. they’re inside the tissues, sometimes inside the very cells.
also, alcohol is a disinfectant, but for significant effectiveness it needs to be at least 60% concentration in contact with the surface for 30 or more seconds.
first no one drinks in a way the alcohol is coating your throat for 30 seconds. but secondly, 60% is 120 proof, plus that’s the minimum and your saliva will dilute the alcohol somewhat, so unless you’re drinking 130 proof or more liquor straight with no ice or mixer, you’re not actually drinking a sanitizer
for the same reason that pouring disinfectant over your chest won’t cure pneumonia, or pouring it over your leg wouldn’t cure an infected injury.
and because of concentration too.
it’s easy to think of your mouth as “inside your body” but it’s really not. mucus membranes are more permeable than surface skin, but they’re still part of your body’s barrier, the bacteria aren’t sitting around on the outside hanging out, if they were there wouldn’t be an infection. they’re inside the tissues, sometimes inside the very cells.
also, alcohol is a disinfectant, but for significant effectiveness it needs to be at least 60% concentration in contact with the surface for 30 or more seconds.
first no one drinks in a way the alcohol is coating your throat for 30 seconds. but secondly, 60% is 120 proof, plus that’s the minimum and your saliva will dilute the alcohol somewhat, so unless you’re drinking 130 proof or more liquor straight with no ice or mixer, you’re not actually drinking a sanitizer
I went throught ALOT of comments…. DO NOT DRINK RUBBING ALCOHOL. There are different types of alcohol, most of them deadly to humans. Regarding drinking something like grain alcohol where it’s 95%+ straight ethanol wouldn’t do anything outside of make you feel tingly and if consumed enough of it, black out drunk…. ah college.
As many people have already said, the throat infection is not surface level and drinking or even gargling alcohol will only do so much. You could get the same effect by gargling salt water or mouthwash.
I went throught ALOT of comments…. DO NOT DRINK RUBBING ALCOHOL. There are different types of alcohol, most of them deadly to humans. Regarding drinking something like grain alcohol where it’s 95%+ straight ethanol wouldn’t do anything outside of make you feel tingly and if consumed enough of it, black out drunk…. ah college.
As many people have already said, the throat infection is not surface level and drinking or even gargling alcohol will only do so much. You could get the same effect by gargling salt water or mouthwash.
I went throught ALOT of comments…. DO NOT DRINK RUBBING ALCOHOL. There are different types of alcohol, most of them deadly to humans. Regarding drinking something like grain alcohol where it’s 95%+ straight ethanol wouldn’t do anything outside of make you feel tingly and if consumed enough of it, black out drunk…. ah college.
As many people have already said, the throat infection is not surface level and drinking or even gargling alcohol will only do so much. You could get the same effect by gargling salt water or mouthwash.
It does. To a point. Whenever I’ve eaten questionable food I’ll take a shot is vodka. On at least 3 occasions people eating the same meal as me have gotten food poisoning while I didn’t. Take it for what it’s worth.
It does. To a point. Whenever I’ve eaten questionable food I’ll take a shot is vodka. On at least 3 occasions people eating the same meal as me have gotten food poisoning while I didn’t. Take it for what it’s worth.
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