COVID-19 and Related Vaccinations in Children: Pathogenic Aspects of Oral Lesions.

Various clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infections and adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccination have been described in children. The present narrative review aimed to collect and synthesize reported findings on oral lesions detected in SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects following COVID-19 EMA-authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing-approved vaccine administration in the pediatric population to detail their clinical features and highlight possible pathogenic aspects of those lesions based on current evidence. Few and incomplete reports were retrieved from the literature, probably because most lesions belonged to a broad spectrum of systemic diseases and syndromes and were nonspecific or inaccurately described. The most common oral lesions in pediatric SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were erosive-ulcerative lesions and macules/petechiae, primarily erythematous. In the context of COVID-19 vaccination, oral adverse reactions were rare and typically presented as erosive-ulcerative lesions, with EM-like or unspecified patterns. Future studies should investigate oral lesions in SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects and after COVID-19 vaccination in the pediatric population, taking into account viral variants and newly developed vaccines. Deeper insight into oral lesions detectable in pediatric SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects and after COVID-19 vaccination may increase clinicians' ability to improve multidisciplinary pediatric oral and general care.

Oral side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in 32 European countries: Analysis of EudraVigilance reports.

The recent reports of oral side effects (SEs) following COVID-19 vaccination warrant further investigation into their prevalence, severity, and aetiology. This study was conducted to synthesize the first-ever population-level evidence about oral SEs of COVID-19 vaccines in Europe. The European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Pharmacovigilance (EudraVigilance) database was accessed in August 2022 to extract summary data of all potential oral SEs reported after COVID-19 vaccination. The data were reported descriptively and cross-tabulated to facilitate sub-group analysis per vaccine type, sex, and age group. Dysgeusia was the most commonly reported oral SE (0.381 case per each 100 received reports), followed by oral paraesthesia (0.315%), ageusia (0.296%), lip swelling (0.243%), dry mouth (0.215%), oral hypoaesthesia (0.210%), swollen tongue (0.207%), and taste disorder (0.173%). Females had significantly (Sig. < 0.001) a higher prevalence of all most common (top 20) oral SEs, except for salivary hypersecretion, which was equally prevalent among females and males. The present study revealed a low prevalence of oral SEs, with taste-related, other sensory and anaphylactic SEs being the most common SEs in Europe, similar to what was found earlier among the US population. Future studies should explore the potential risk factors of oral sensory and anaphylactic SEs to verify whether they are causally linked to COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 hospitalized patients and oral changes: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between hospitalization for COVID-19 and oral changes, and to evaluate whether oral changes can indicate a higher risk of disease progression to death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study analyzed patients hospitalized (university hospital), including those in intensive care unit and clinical wards. The study group comprised 69 COVID-19 positive patients (PCR-test), while the control group included 43 COVID-19 negative patients. A dentist performed oral evaluations, and salivary samples were collected for calcium, phosphatase, and pH analysis. Sociodemographic data, hospitalization information, and hematological test results were collected from electronic-medical records. The presence of oral changes was assessed using chi-square tests, and the predicted risk of death was analyzed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS: COVID-19 positive patients had a significantly higher prevalence of oral changes compared to COVID-19 negative patients. The presence of any oral changes in COVID-19 positive patients indicated a 13-fold higher risk of mortality. "Bleeding ulcers," "pressure ulcers," and "angular cheilitis" were significantly associated with hospitalization for COVID-19. CONCLUSION: There may be an association between hospitalization for COVID-19 and the development of oral changes, including bleeding ulcers, pressure ulcers. and angular cheilitis. These oral changes may serve as potential indicator for disease progression an increased risk of death. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: COVID-19 hospitalized patients have a higher prevalence of oral changes, which indicate an increased risk of mortality. Oral medicine staff should be included in multidisciplinary teams to detect and treat these oral changes promptly.

Oral manifestations of COVID-19 infection

The aftereffect and consequences of COVID-19 are multiple and include dissimilar aspects, with a great negative impact on health systems and humanity. In this sense, having updated and relevant information favors the arduous confrontation with this pandemic. The purpose of this research is updating knowledge about the oral manifestations of COVID-19 infection. A bibliographical review was carried out. The search was carried out through Google Scholar, SciELO and other information sources from the Cuba Virtual Health Library. The impact of COVID-19 on oral health is determined by the patient's immune system, the pharmacotherapy they receive, and the pathogenesis of the virus. Symptoms of dry mouth, hypogeusia, dysgeusia, and ageusia predominate, even before respiratory symptoms. Other manifestations include oropharyngeal candidiasis;appear approximately in 5% of patients, days after diagnosis. The main oral manifestations related to COVID-19 reported in the literature are: hyposalivation, xerostomia, ageusia, hypogeusia, dysgeusia, herpetic lesions, and candidiasis.

A review on oral manifestations of COVID-19 disease.

COVID-19, a multi-system-affecting disease presents with an extensive clinical spectrum, ranging from no symptoms at all to fatal lung involvement. Several orofacial manifestations have also been reported, among which dysgeusia is one of the earliest reported symptoms. Several other manifestations of extensive variety have also been reported by various authors worldwide since the outbreak of the disease. This comprehensive review dispenses a synopsis of the orofacial manifestations of COVID-19 along with a working classification, the knowledge of which is of utmost importance to medical and dental professionals for early detection and prevention of transmission of the disease.

Knowledge and perception regarding oral manifestations of COVID-19 among the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Vishnu Dental College—a questionnaire based study

Background: The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and its consequences demonstrate that it is a substantial global health threat with symptoms ranging from mild flu to severe pneumonia. The objective of this study was to assess Indian dental school undergraduate and postgraduate students' knowledge and perception of the oral symptoms present in COVID-19 patients. Methods: Dental students were compared for knowledge and perceptions regarding oral manifestations of COVID-19 according to their academic, gender and age. The questionnaire was broken into three parts and comprised 12 questions about oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients' knowledge and perception. Each participant received a WhatsApp message with a shareable Google Drive link. After gathering data, the Pearson Chi-Square test was used to do statistical analysis. Results: This questionnaire survey was completed by 380 dental students. Significant differences were obtained except for one question about knowledge and perception related questions addressing oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients. Only the knowledge-related questions about oral manifestations in COVID-19 patients showed significant differences when compared to perception related questions when compared to gender-related replies. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that dental students have knowledge of identifying the oral manifestations in COVID-19 infected people, and emphasized the importance of every dental student in identifying oral manifestations and relating these manifestations to the severity of COVID-19 infection in order to preserve patients' oral and overall health. © Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine.

Trends of rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis in COVID-19 patients: An observational study.

Background and Aim: Mucormycosis is a potentially lethal but rare fungal infection that is rapidly progressive. Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) was the predominant presentation of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Hence, the present study aimed to assess the oral manifestations in CAM patients admitted to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences-A Tertiary Health Care Center. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on hospitalized patients admitted to our tertiary health care center during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 54 patients were included in the study and were further evaluated for oral manifestations. Detailed history, clinical examination, and surgical exploration was done for all the subjects. All cases were confirmed by MRI and histopathology. Results: Data collected was subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Patients with oral manifestations were mostly in the age range of ≤50 years which was 56.7% (n = 17). Male patients 56.7% were affected more as compared to female patients and most of the patients in our study were from rural areas 56.7%. RBS [Mean ± standard deviation (SD)] was 304.60 ± 100.073. On intra-oral examination 96.7% had a gingival and palatal abscess, 63.3% had tooth mobility, and palatal ulcer/perforation was seen among 56.7% of the patients. Conclusion: The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had also created an alarming situation in India and worldwide. Mucormycosis had come as a sudden storm which has created an emergency situation in our hospital and for dental practitioners also. This was also an alarming situation for a dental practitioner for evaluating early signs and symptoms, especially in high-risk patients and decreasing mortality.

The oral manifestations and related mechanisms of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported to be associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and patients present mostly with respiratory symptoms. There have been an increasing number of reports on oral manifestations, and some of these signs are informative in terms of identifying SARS-CoV-2 infection. The goal of present study was to review and synthesize the clinical characteristics and underlying mechanisms of COVID-19 oral manifestations, as well as to evaluate the factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, in order to conduct further in-depth investigations and help clinicians diagnose COVID-19 patients exhibiting oral symptoms.

Relationship between oral lesions and severe SARS-CoV-2 infection in intensive care unit patients.

OBJECTIVE: Oral lesions received increased attention as likely new signs or secondary manifestations of COVID-19. Therefore, we clinically examined oral cavity of patients with COVID-19 and investigated oral lesions and patient comorbidities as possible risk factors of COVID-19 disease outcome. METHODS: From January to March 2022, a prospective study was conducted by recruiting all COVID-19 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit of Maxi-Emergencies Hospital in Bari, Italy. RESULTS: From the enrolled 103 COVID-19 patients, 46.6% were females and 53.4% were males. Findings show that risk of presenting with severe COVID-19 disease was higher in patients who developed oral lesions related to COVID-19 than those with no oral lesions (RR = 7.998, p = .002). Next, patients with concomitant autoimmune diseases were at higher risk of a negative COVID-19 disease outcome than those without comorbidities (OR = 8.838, p = .026). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19-related lesions of oral mucosa should not be ignored as they can be early and easily detectable signs of severe COVID-19 disease condition, thus, serving as a prevention measure for any potential unfortunate event. Findings of this study, without implying causation, offer a direction for future investigations that aim to confirm the presence of specific oral lesions in COVID-19 patients as signs of severe disease progression.

Clinical manifestations of oral mucosa lesions in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

BACKGROUND: Due to Coronavirus disease, several body systems are involved, and, in the most severe cases, there may be a multiorgan disfunction. The general symptoms can be associated with lesions of the oral cavity. Among these the most reported are ulcerative lesions, together with vesicles and blisters, petechiae, and erythema multiforme-like lesions, aphthous-like lesions, herpetiform lesions and they typically appear at the same time as general symptoms or within one week. The aim of this study was to describe oral lesions observed in 41 Armenian patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: During the period of April 2020-January 2021, 43 patients aged 25 to 51 years positive for COVID-19 test were referred for a full oral mouth examination and diagnosis at Nord KS dental clinic. RESULTS: Of the 18 patients who were already diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection at the time of the visit, 66.6% presented ulcerative lesions;in this group also Candida Albicans infection and lichenoid lesion were diagnosticated. 29 patients were suspected to be positive for COVID-19 and 23 tested positive. In this group of patient periodontal altera-tions relatable to hyperemia, gingival cyanosis and vascular dilation were the most frequently encountered manifesta-tions.CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows how the type of oral lesions during COVID-19 can be related to a determinate phase of the clinical progression: in the first stage of disease oral lesions could be an early sign of infection and during the full-blown phase of this disease they could be clinical manifestation of vasculitic and thrombotic phenomena responsible of COVID-19 complications. The role played by the oral examination in patients with COVID-19 is important in order to raise the suspicion of infection early and to monitor and improve the state of oral health and painful symptoms, in the event of the appearance of more disabling lesions.

Oral Manifestations in Children Diagnosed with COVID-19: A Narrative Review.

The COVID-19 disease has many symptoms, including fever, dry cough, tachypnea, and shortness of breath, but other symptoms can accompany the disease. The disease can also have oral manifestations. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the oral manifestations of COVID-19 in children and adolescents by summarizing the current knowledge as it was described in various case reports and original articles. A review of the literature was carried out by searching the online databases PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, between October 2022 and 12 November 2022. For this narrative review, 890 articles from three databases and manual search were screened. Saliva was discovered to be a potential screening tool for the infection with the SARS-CoV-2, although it is most reliable in the first few days of infection. Different alteration of the oral mucosa, such as ulcers, erosions and gingivitis were reported. Oral manifestations accompanied children with COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome, Kawasaki disease, thrombocytopenic purpura and erythema multiforme. COVID-19 had an indirect effect on oral harmful habits by decreasing their frequency during the lockdown. Although they occur more rarely, oral manifestations can accompany COVID-19 disease in children and adolescents, and they can be an early sign of the disease.

FUNGAL INFECTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19 – DENTISTS’ PERSPECTIVE

Aim: To assess the association between COVID-19 and oral fungal infections. Methods: A review of fungal infections associated with COVID-19 was done by using major databases like PubMed, Scopus, Clinical Key, and EBSCO. Results: It is evident from these published studies that, in addition to systemic complications, COVID-19 also compromises oral health. This review brings an insight into the possibility of fungal infections co-existing with COVID-19. Clinical Significance: It is important to assess the risk factors in order to manage fungal infections in patients who have a positive history of COVID-19. © 2022 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Oral manifestations of monkeypox: Brief review.

The current outbreak of monkeypox infection has caught the attention of people worldwide. Updated data showed a dramatic increase in the number of patients in many non-endemic countries. An emergence of monkeypox together with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused a tremendous burden on the healthcare system, globally. The aim of this review was to briefly describe the current situation, transmission, clinical features, diagnosis, and prevention of the disease. Oral manifestations of monkeypox as well as those of similar viral diseases were elaborately delineated. The outbreak of monkeypox in non-endemic regions has expanded to at least 47 countries with more than 4,100 new infections. The clinical features in non-endemic regions are atypical and different from those in central and western Africa. Milder symptoms with no death cases have been observed. The oral mucosa is often involved and oral lesions may initially be manifested before the rash spreads to the face and other parts of the body. The diagnosis of monkeypox is mainly based on clinical presentations and laboratory investigations. Prevention by avoiding close contacts with patients and sick animals and providing vaccination to those who have a primary contact with patients is essential. Oral manifestations may occur prior to skin eruptions, suggesting that dentists and dental personnel should be well aware of the nature of the disease. Prevention and public awareness of the disease are crucial for mitigating further human-to-human transmission.

Conservative treatment with mouthwashes followed by tongue photo biomodulation therapy in Covid-19: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Oral manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including ulcers, herpetiform lesions, macules, and petechiae, among others, are becoming increasingly recognized, but there is little guidance on their treatment. Reported cases have described treatment with various mouthwashes containing antivirals, antifungals, antibiotics, anesthetics, or steroids. Our case report is unique in that we provide guidance on the judicious use of these medications, followed by photobiomodulation therapy if the manifestations are treatment resistant. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 30-year-old Caucasian woman who tested positive for COVID-19 after developing nasal congestion and cough. Ten days after testing positive, she developed a systemic rash on her extremities and torso. At the same time, she developed swelling of the tongue lasting 1 hour, with subsequent appearance of oral lesions that resembled geographic tongue. She also had an irritable sensation on her tongue and some mild loss of sense of taste. We opted for conservative therapy, including mouth rinses containing lidocaine to be used every 6 hours. The patient used the mouth rinse therapy for 1 month and experienced a 90% improvement in her oral lesions and tongue sensitivity. However, she had repeated flares every 3 weeks over a 6-month period, and the steroid mouthwash achieved incomplete resolution. After three sessions of photobiomodulation therapy, she had no further flares or tongue sensitivity and the lesions healed. CONCLUSIONS: The implication of our report is that we promote the judicious use of topical antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and steroids for when they are indicated. We propose lidocaine-containing mouth rinses and steroid mouthwash as an initial, symptomatic treatment regimen for 'COVID-19 tongue.' If there is failure of resolution, we recommend photobiomodulation therapy.

The recognition of oral manifestations of haematological disease saves lives: a case report.

Background: Acute Leukaemias are haematological disorders characterised by the proliferation of immature white blood cells in the bone marrow and/or peripheral blood. Oral manifestations of leukaemia are common and may be the first sign of the disease. The clinical presentation of these Acute Leukaemias may include neutropenic sepsis, hyperviscocity and coagulopathy which confer a potential morbidity and mortality. Clinicians must be able to recognise this pattern of presentation. Case report: We report a 34-year-old female who was referred to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department with acute dental pain and pericoronitis. She subsequently had a simple dental extraction but re-presented with a bleeding socket that did not respond to local treatment. Investigation of this led to a diagnosis of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL). She was admitted under the care of the haematology team for urgent, life-saving, treatment. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and treatment of the Acute Leukaemias can be life saving. The oral manifestations of disease are common and may be the first sign. Clinicians must be able to recognise this pattern of presentation and arrange urgent investigation and specialist management. Clinical/CPD relevance: This case report discusses leukaemia and highlights the important role General Dental Practitioners can play in early diagnosis. We frame a safe approach to managing these patients in a typical case. Whilst this disease subtype is rare, the learning points can be universally applied.

Oral Manifestations in Hospitalized COVID Patients

Aim: Evaluation of oral lesions in COVID-hospitalized patients, analyzing the potential etiopathogenetic mechanisms. Materials and methods: We evaluated a total of 58 hospitalized COVID patients in the time span from April 2021 to May 2021. The group analyzed consists of 38 male patients (66%) and 20 female patients (34%), aged between 22 and 92, with a preponderance of 60–80 years. All patients underwent an oral evaluation in order to detect the various oral manifestations;moreover, the onset time of these lesions has been correlated with the time of manifestation of the general symptoms of COVID infection. Results: Xerostomia has been the most frequent oral manifestation detected (30 patients, 51.7% of the sample), followed by ageusia (16 patients, 27.6%), and white tongue (13 patients, 22.4%). Other oral manifestations observed were aphthous lesions, fissured tongue, metallic taste, tingling in the lip and chin, and burning mouth syndrome. Conclusion: Our findings show a significant correlation between the oral manifestations and the burst of viral replication phase in COVID patients. Clinical significance: Awareness of the possible oral manifestations of COVID infection is important to conduct a correct diagnosis in oral pathology. © The Author(s). 2022.

Oral Manifestations of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study of Their Prevalence and Association with Disease Severity.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has impacted the world in an unprecedented way since December 2019. SARS-CoV-2 was found in the saliva of patients, and entry points for the virus may have been through the numerous angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors in the oral cavity. Oral manifestations of COVID-19 could contribute to the burden of oral disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of oral manifestations of COVID-19 in patients and their association with disease severity. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with adult participants diagnosed with COVID-19 between October 2021 and March 2022 to document their demographic and health status data, symptoms, and the presence of oral manifestations of COVID-19. Chi-square and the Fisher's exact test were used to compare data on the presence or absence of oral manifestations of COVID-19. RESULTS: Of 195 participants interviewed, 33% were 18 to 24 years old, 33% were 25 to 34 years old, and 75% were female. A total of 57 (29%) had oral manifestations; the most common were taste disorders (60%), xerostomia (42%), and oral ulcers (11%). There was no relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and the presence of the oral manifestations. CONCLUSION: Oral manifestations of COVID-19 were common among female patients and linked to certain general COVID-19 symptoms regarding frequency and extent.

Prevalence, Features and Degree of Association of Oral Lesions in COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews.

Regardless of rapidly emerging findings on oral lesions described in adult SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects, the evidence level remains quite low and rather contrasting; therefore, the present systematic review of systematic reviews primarily aims to point out the overall prevalence of diagnosed cases. Secondary aims are to estimate the degree of association between oral lesions and SARS-CoV-2 infection and to grade, based on the reported frequency, the primary oral lesions, with related clinical presentations and microscopic features, in relation to COVID-19 forms. A study protocol compliant with the PRISMA statement was developed. Twelve studies were included, reporting highly heterogeneous and incomplete findings, thus precluding a meta-analysis. Further studies should be conducted to assess the overall prevalence of cases diagnosed with oral lesions among adult SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects, especially considering novel viral variants, and to determine their degree of association with SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 forms. Moreover, the reported findings noticed the need to evaluate the putative role both of SARS-CoV-2 in oral lesions genesis and of periodontitis and periodontal microbiome in COVID-19 worsening and re-activations. Deeper insights into oral lesions in adult SARS-CoV-2-positive subjects could enhance the comprehension of illness pathogenesis, natural history and clinical presentation, thus improving the preparedness of health professionals in the inter-disciplinary management of COVID-19.

Oral Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination: Analysis of VAERS Reports.

Background: Oral adverse events (AEs) following COVID-19 vaccination have been sporadically reported during the previous months, warranting further investigation for their prevalence and suspected relationship with vaccine-elicited immune response. Methods: A retrospective analysis using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data was conducted to evaluate AEs within the oral cavity (mucosa, tongue, lips, palate, dentition, salivary glands) and AEs involving taste and other sensations. Oral AEs reported after receiving COVID-19 vaccination (test group) and seasonal influenza vaccination (control group) were extracted and cross-tabulated to assess their relative prevalence. Results: Among the 128 solicited (suspected) oral AEs, oral paresthesia (0.872%) was most reported after receiving COVID-19 vaccines, followed by the swelling of lips (0.844%), ageusia (0.722%), oral hypoesthesia (0.648%), swollen tongue (0.628%), and dysgeusia (0.617%). The reported prevalence of oral AEs was higher in the COVID-19 vaccine group than in the seasonal influenza group. The distribution pattern of the most reported oral AEs was similar for both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines. Female sex, older age (>39 years old), primer doses, and mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines exhibited a higher reported prevalence of oral AEs. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, COVID-19 vaccines were found to be associated with rare oral AEs that are predominantly similar to those emerging following seasonal influenza vaccines. The most commonly reported oral AEs were oral paraesthesia (mouth-tingling), lip swelling, and ageusia, representing various pathophysiologic pathways that remain unclear. Taste-related AEs should be acknowledged in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public should be adequately informed about a potential taste dysfunction after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. Dentists and dental teams need to be aware of the prevalence, severity, and prognosis of oral AEs to inform their patients and increase public confidence in vaccines.