Dental Care and Oral Health under the Clouds of COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused much anxiety and confusion in the community and affected the delivery of vital health care services, including dental care. We reviewed current evidence related to the impact of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 on dental care and oral health with the aim to help dental professionals better understand the risks of disease transmission in dental settings, strengthen protection against nosocomial infections, and identify areas of COVID-19–related oral health research. When compared with other recent pandemics, COVID-19 is less severe but spreads more easily, causing a significantly higher number of deaths worldwide. Protection of dental patients and staff during COVID-19 is challenging due to the existence of patients who are infectious yet asymptomatic. Dental professionals are ill prepared for the pandemic, as they are not routinely fitted for the N95 respirators now required for preventing contagion during dental treatments. Biological and clinical evidence supports that oral mucosa is an initial site of entry for SARS-CoV-2 and that oral symptoms, including loss of taste/smell and dry mouth, might be early symptoms of COVID-19, presenting before fever, dry cough, fatigue, shortness breath, and other typical symptoms. Oral health researchers may play a more active role in early identification and diagnosis of the disease through deciphering the mechanisms of dry mouth and loss of taste in patients with COVID-19. Rapid testing for infectious diseases in dental offices via saliva samples may be valuable in the early identification of infected patients and in disease progress assessment. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This commentary provides a timely evidence-based overview on the impact of COVID-19 on dental care and oral health and identifies gaps in protection of patients and staff in dental settings. Oral symptoms are prominent before fever and cough occur. Dental professionals may play an important role in early identification and diagnosis of patients with COVID-19.