oral cavit y and covid-19 C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 5 0 , Nº 3
The Mouth-COVID-19 Connection: The Importance of the Oral Cavity for the Coronavirus Disease — Part II Shervin Molayem, DDS, and Carla Cruvinel Pontes, DDS, MsC, PhD
abstract Background: The pandemic has significantly disrupted dental practice. However, the dental community has risen to the challenges of maintaining oral health care delivery. Untreated oral conditions can adversely affect the systemic environment, influencing respiratory conditions and COVID-19. Types of studies reviewed: This study was designed as a narrative review. Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched up to January 2021 for articles in English that addressed the role played by the oral cavity and saliva in the coronavirus disease, with particular focus on the importance of oral hygiene. All relevant scientific articles were included. Results: Several studies have linked poor plaque control to worse lung function and pneumonia, particularly in hospitalized patients and institutionalized elderly. COVID-19 patients with poor plaque control can carry the virus for longer periods. Because saliva can be highly infective, pretreatment oral rinsing has been recommended to decrease the viral load and transmission of COVID-19. Practical implications: Findings from this review suggest that promoting oral health and plaque control are vital to prevent respiratory diseases and potentially decrease the severity of COVID-19. Keywords: Mouth COVID-19, saliva COVID-19, oral health COVID-19, oral inflammation
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