2,4-Dichlorobenzyl alcohol is a mild antiseptic

Antiseptic

Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction...

, able to kill bacteria

Bacteria

Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...

 and viruses associated with mouth and throat infection

Infection

An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...

s. It is a common ingredient in throat lozenges such as Strepsils

Strepsils

Strepsils is a line of lozenges manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser in Nottingham, United Kingdom. They come in a variety of flavours and are part of the Boots Healthcare International brands that Reckitt Benckiser acquired in 2006...

/Gorpils

Gorpils

Gorpils is a line of medicated throat lozenges manufactured by in India since 1993. Gorpils is available in a variety of flavors* Strawberry * Orange* Lemon* Honey Lemon* Mentho – Eucalyptus-History:...

. A low-pH throat lozenge containing dichlorobenzyl alcohol (1.2 mg) and amylmetacresol

Amylmetacresol

Amylmetacresol or Amyl-m-Creso is an antiseptic used to treat minor infections of the mouth and throat. It is one of two active ingredients in Strepsils / lozenges. Boots Group / also make a lozenge with this as active ingredient. Amylmetacresol has a RW coefficient of 250....

 (600μg) has been found to inactivate Respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-Cov

Severe acute respiratory syndrome

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...

, but not adenovirus or rhinovirus

Rhinovirus

Human rhinoviruses are the most common viral infective agents in humans and are the predominant cause of the common cold. Rhinovirus infection proliferates in temperatures between 33–35 °C , and this may be why it occurs primarily in the nose...

 . A dentifrice

Dentifrice

Dentifrice is a paste, liquid or powder used to help maintain oral hygiene. There have been many dentifrices produced over the years, many focusing on marketing strategies to sell products, such as offering whitening capabilities. The most essential dentifrice recommended by dentists is toothpaste...

 containing 10% sodium benzoate

Sodium benzoate

Sodium benzoate has the chemical formula NaC6H5CO2; it is a widely used food preservative, with E number E211. It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water. It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid.-Uses:Sodium benzoate is a...

and 0.3% dichlorobenzyl alcohol maintains antimicrobial activity for 5–10 minutes after brushing.