Oral and Periodontal Manifestations of COVID-19 and its Plausible Association with Periodontal Disease

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused a significant and urgent threat to the global health. It has markedly affected the delivery of healthcare services all over the world. Early diagnosis of the disease is imperative to contain the spread of the viral infection. The virus can also lead to potential systemic complications such as lungs involvement, skin, and oral manifestations. The presence of oral lesions is emerging evidence that may indicates the presence of COVID-19 infection. Since, the virus has affinity for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE2) receptors present in the respiratory tract, oral mucosa, tongue and salivary glands; therefore, the oral cavity serves as a major habitat for invasion of the virus. This review aimed to discuss the oral and periodontal manifestations of COVID-19. Articles between December 2019 and April 2021 were searched for this narrative review in Pub Med, Scopus, Science Direct related to COVID-19 and its oral manifestations, using the following terms: “Corona virus,” “COVID-19,” and “SARS-CoV-2” in combination with “Stomatognathic diseases,” “Oral manifestation,” and “Mouth diseases” and "Periodontal diseases". The oral manifestations commonly associated with COVID-19 are salivary gland disorders, xerostomia, alteration of taste and smell and lesions in oral mucosa. The appearance of these oral manifestations during the asymptomatic phase of disease helps in early identification of the disease. The recent COVID-19 infection has been strongly associated with the appearance and establishment of cytokine storm. It is found that many components of the cytokine storm are common with the cytokine expression found in periodontitis. This narrative review aims at exploring the association between COVID-19 and periodontal disease through their cytokine profiles.