The Impact of Oral Health on Severity of COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-sectional Study of Recovered Patients in Syria

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role of oral health in determining the severity of COVID-19 infection among recovered COVID-19 Syrian patients. Clinical Significance: The severity of COVID-19 infection varies among individuals, and the general health status of individuals plays a crucial role in determining the severity of symptoms. The association between oral health and COVID-19 severity has not been widely explored. Understanding the impact of oral health on COVID-19 severity can help in developing strategies to prevent severe and aggressive COVID-19 infection. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional trial based on a questionnaire survey was conducted among 319 recovered COVID-19 Syrian patients. The questionnaire was divided into two main sections: oral health evaluation and COVID-19 severity assessment. Participants were classified into three groups based on their responses for oral health and COVID-19 severity. Results: Our observations revealed a significant difference between overall health and the severity of COVID-19 infection. Participants with worse general health had higher COVID-19 severity index scores. Patients with chronic conditions also had a considerably higher prevalence of COVID-19 severity index. Furthermore, our findings suggest that individuals with poor overall health and chronic diseases exhibited the worst oral health. However, there was no relationship between oral health status and the recovery period of COVID-19 infection. The association between oral health status and COVID-19 severity index revealed a positive correlation, although it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that the oral cavity and its components may contribute to an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection, as the association between COVID-19 severity and oral health status revealed a positive correlation, although it was not statistically significant. Further research with larger sample sizes and more reliable study designs will be required to confirm our findings. In the light of our findings, we recommend following simple oral health measures such as tooth brushing, regular dental check-ups, and periodontal screening to prevent severe and aggressive COVID-19 infection.