COVID-19 and Periodontitis: Associations and Clinical Implications

Author(s): Miriam Ting, Rodrigo Neiva and Jon Suzuki

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought marked changes worldwide to the management of airborne infectious diseases. This sparked the development of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and pharmacotherapeutics to increase the survival rate during the acute viral phase and reduce the comorbidities associated with COVID-19. This review aims to evaluate the potential associations between periodontitis and COVID-19. Periodontal disease may increase the morbidity and perhaps the mortality of a COVID-19 infection. Gingival ulcerations induced by periodontal disease may weaken the protective oral epithelium and increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 invasion. The potential of herpesviruses, especially as it is related to aggressive periodontitis may also be a comorbidity for COVID-19. Periodontitis patients infected with COVID-19 have increased gingival inflammation and abnormal bleeding. Periodontitis may increase COVID-19 biomarkers linked with COVID-19 severity. And COVID-19 may increase periodontitis biomarkers linked with increased probings and attachment loss. Thus, periodontal therapy and oral health maintenance may reduce COVID-19 complications, morbidity, and mortality.