COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus transmitted from person to person via droplets in the air or by contact with contaminated surfaces. It can have a significant impact on oral health, while oral health can influence a patient’s susceptibility to the virus as well.
Major symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Less common symptoms include loss of smell with or without loss of taste, sore throat, headache, conjunctivitis, and body pain. Severe symptoms include chest pain, breathing difficulties, and loss of speech or movement.
People most at risk of COVID-19 include older people and those with chronic systemic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.
Bacterial flora and load in the oral cavity vary between people, depending on their oral care and associated chronic illnesses. For example, people with diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular diseases have altered biofilms. Their increased bacterial loads and COVID-19 infections can lead to super-infections. Hence, proper oral hygiene can reduce the severity of COVID-19.
Although this severity depends upon many host and viral factors, 80% of COVID-19 cases show mild symptoms, while 20% show severe symptoms due to already increased inflammatory markers and bacteria load due to dental problems.
The Impact of Salivary Flow
Saliva is a clear, tasteless, odorless, and mildly alkaline viscous and complex fluid that is composed mainly of water and inorganic and organic substances.
In addition to functions like lubrication, digestion, cleansing, water level balance, and buffering, saliva is the first line of defense against infection as well. Proteins like lysozyme, mucins, peroxidase, salivary agglutinins, and alpha and beta defense have antiviral properties. Some of these proteins may reduce the replication of SARS-CoV-2.
A considerable decrease in salivary flow could then reduce the antiviral activity that saliva provides, making hyposalivation a significant risk factor for Covid 19.
Impact of COVID-19 Treatment on Oral Health
Even after patients have recovered from COVID-19, they may experience oral health issues such as ulcers, Xerostomia (dry mouth), stomatitis, and oral thrush. Some of these issues may be side effects from medication that they took during the COVID-19 infection.