A comprehensive insights into oral health in COVID-19

Abstract

The novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the most probable route of entrance for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is suggested to be that of oral mucosa as it contains angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors, which acts as a cellular doorway for the entry of the virus. Anti-viral and broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat COVID-19 can be responsible for oral problems associated with soft tissue, saliva production, and neurological-based oral sensations reported even in fully recovered patients. Oral manifestations like loss of taste (complete ageusia or partial hypogeusia) and altered taste were most common, followed by various lesions and plaques affecting the intraoral site. Poor oral hygiene can lead to complications in patients suffering from systemic diseases such as diabetes, kidney, and liver disease. Since oral health has a significant impact on a patient's general health, improved oral hygiene can significantly decrease the risk of oropharyngeal colonization and respiratory complications, especially in the elderly and patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Due to the high risk of COVID-19 transmission among dentists and patients, it is important to re-design recommendations to oral medicine and dentists working in the hospital setting to manage oral manifestations. Oral health-related quality of life is an all-encompassing term used to denote how one's oral health impacts on their ability to function normally can be a crucial subjective measure to analyze oral health during these challenging times.