TITLE:
Comparison of Oral Manifestations in Hospitalized COVID-19 Positive Patients and COVID-19 Negative Dental Outpatients. A Case Series Study and Literature Review
AUTHORS:
Flora Zervou-Valvi, Emmanouil M. Valvis, Angeliki Giannopoulou, Eleana Stoufi, Charilaos Samaras, Olga Spiropoulou, Antonia Hadjicosta, Smaragda Diamanti
KEYWORDS:
Case Series, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Oral Lesions/Manifestations, Hospitalized Patients, Control/Dental Patients
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.13 No.3,
May
31,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infectious disease, also named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which can cause various systemic manifestations that pose a threat to human life. Oral lesions in patients with COVID-19 may appear during or after the illness and may or may not be a consequence of the viral infection. Objective: In this case series we compare the oral manifestations in hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients and COVID-19 negative dental outpatients. Methods: 60 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 41 control patients, were examined for oral signs and symptoms. The controls were dental patients who visited the hospital for dental care without complaining of any problems related to the oral cavity itself. Results: We have observed a strong association between certain clinical findings and COVID-19, including alterations in taste (ageusia, dysgeusia, and hypogeusia), anosmia, hairy tongue, tongue imprints, red tongue, erythematous candidiasis, pseudomembranous candidiasis, and exfoliative cheilitis. A trend but not statistically significant association at the level of 5% was also noted for colored tongue, linea alba, and pale mucosa. On the contrary, fissured tongue and oral mucosa pigmentation were more frequent in the controls, statistically significant at the level of 5%. Conclusion: COVID-19 has been found to impact the oral cavity, resulting in various oral lesions that can be attributed to either the direct action of the virus or the patient’s immune response.