ABSTRACT
Objectives To assess the prevalence of xerostomia in COVID-19 patients. Study Design Observational studies were selected by 2 reviewers in a 2-phase process. Search strategies were applied at EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the JBI critical appraisal checklist. The meta-analysis was performed via cross-sectional studies through the MetaXL5.3 (Microsoft Excel) software. Certainty of evidence was assessed by GRADE. Results Seven studies met the eligibility criteria and were selected for qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. A total of 1017 participants with COVID-19 were enrolled, and the overall xerostomia prevalence was 43% (95% CI, 36-50%;I² = 71%). The overall risk of bias was considered low, and the certainty of the evidence was high. Conclusions The prevalence of xerostomia in COVID-19 patients was similar to that in taste disorders. Therefore, xerostomia may be a common oral symptom and should be considered as part of the symptomatic scope of COVID-19 patients. However, few cross-sectional studies reported the xerostomia prevalence in this population. Thus, a further mechanistic investigation with homogeneous methodology is required to confirm these data.
ABSTRACT
Some oral manifestations have been observed in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there is still a question about whether these lesions are due to coronavirus infection or secondary manifestations resulting from the patient's systemic condition. Thus, this article aims to report an additional case of an oral condition in a patient diagnosed with COVID-19. Our patient, a sixty-seven-year-old Caucasian man, tested positive to coronavirus and presented oral manifestations such as recurrent herpes simplex, candidiasis, and geographic tongue. We support the argument that some oral conditions could be secondary to the deterioration of systemic health or due to treatments for COVID-19. The present case report highlights the importance of including dentists in the intensive care unit multi-professional team to improve oral health in critical patients, not only COVID-19 patients, but also, to contribute to evidence-based and decision-making in managing infectious diseases.