Brushing your teeth regularly and maintaining proper oral care can play an important role in fighting COVID-19, as patients with gum disease are nine times more likely to die from the mistake, according to a new research.
A study of more than 500 patients also found that people with gum disease were 3.5 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care and 4.5 times more likely to need a ventilator, Medical Xpress reported.
In addition, coronavirus patients with poor gum health are at least three times more likely to suffer complications, according to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.
Blood markers indicating inflammation in the body were noticeably higher in patients with gum disease, suggesting that inflammation may explain the high complication rates.
“The results of the study suggest that inflammation of the oral cavity may open the door for the coronavirus to become more violent,” said study co-author Lior Shapira of the Hebrew University of Israel.
“Oral care should be part of the health recommendations to reduce the risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes,” added Shapira, president-elect of the European Federation of Periodontology.
Periodontitis, a serious form of gum disease that affects up to half of all adults worldwide, can spread throughout the body if left untreated, and COVID-19 is associated with an inflammatory response. which can be deadly.
The study, which was conducted in Qatar, included 568 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between February and July 2020.
Of these, 40 had complications (including admission to the ICU, being placed in a ventilator, or death) and 528 did not.
Other factors, including body mass index, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, and smoking, were also considered in the complications of COVID-19. Data were also obtained on blood levels of chemicals related to inflammation in the body.
The odds of death for COVID-19 patients with gum disease were 8.81 times higher than others, while the odds of ending up in intensive care or with a ventilator were 3.54 and 4.57 times higher. large, respectively.
“If a causal link is established between periodontitis and increased rates of adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19, the establishment and maintenance of periodontal health may become an important part of ‘these patients,’ the authors wrote.
One of the authors, Professor Mariano Sanz, of the Complutense University of Madrid, said that oral bacteria in patients with periodontitis can be inhaled and infect the lungs.
“This may contribute to the deterioration of patients with COVID-19 and increase the risk of death. Hospital staff should identify COVID-19 patients with periodontitis and use oral antiseptics to reduce bacterial transmission,” he said. .
Shapira said the link between periodontitis and lung disease, including asthma, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is well established.
“This study adds more evidence about the links between oral health and respiratory conditions. Periodontitis is a common disease, but it can be prevented and treated,” Shapira said.