International Journal of General Medicine (Dec 2021)

Characteristics of Oral Manifestations in Symptomatic Non-Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study on a Sample of the Saudi Population

  • Natto ZS,
  • Afeef M,
  • Khalil D,
  • Kutubaldin D,
  • Dehaithem M,
  • Alzahrani A,
  • Ashi H

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 14
pp. 9547 – 9553

Abstract

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Zuhair S Natto,1 Marwah Afeef,2 Dalia Khalil,3,4 Dina Kutubaldin,4 Maryam Dehaithem,4 Ali Alzahrani,4 Heba Ashi1 1Department of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 2Study & Research Department, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 3Transformation & Planning Department, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; 4Specialized Dental Center, King Fahad General Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Zuhair S NattoDepartment of Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaTel +966 50 36 200 37Email [email protected]: Few case reports and letters to the editor have been published regarding oral signs and symptoms in COVID-19 patients. The aim of the study therefore is to investigate different types of oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients as well as their prevalence.Patients and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional study from a single medical center. A convenience sample was taken from all patients who were COVID-19 confirmed, symptomatic, and non-hospitalized. Demographic information, medical and travel history, general symptoms, and clinical examination results of the oral cavity were collected.Results: This study included a total of 109 patients. Loss of taste was the most common oral manifestation of COVID-19 (43.4%), followed by erythema/desquamated gingivitis and coated tongue (7.3% each) and ulcers/blisters (6.4%). Loss of taste was the only symptom persisting for 10 days. Oral manifestations appeared as a single symptom (79.3%), and dorsum of tongue was the most common oral location (72.4%).Conclusion: Loss of taste was the most prevalent specific reported oral manifestation. Other nonspecific oral lesions/symptoms are controversial. It has been suggested that oral examinations of COVID-19 patients should be conducted as part of routine examinations to investigate any possible correlation between the disease and the oral cavity.Keywords: oral cavity, loss of taste, COVID-19, symptoms, prevalence

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