Regular brushing and good oral care can play a huge role in the fight against COVID-19 – as patients with gum disease are nine times more likely to die from the beetle, new research shows.
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 be on artificial respiration, Medical Xpress reported.
In addition, coronavirus patients with poor gum health are at least three times more likely to have complications, according to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.
Blood markers indicating inflammation in the body were clearly higher in patients with gum disease, suggesting that inflammation may explain the increased complications.
“The results of the study suggest that the inflammation in the oral cavity may open the door for the coronavirus to become more violent,” said study co-author Professor Lior Shapira of the Hebrew University in Israel.
“Oral care should be part of the health recommendations to reduce the risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes,” added Shapira, elected president of the European Federation of Periodontics.
Periodontal disease, 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 that can be fatal.
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, artificial respiration or death – and 528 did not.
Other factors, including body mass index, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, and smoking, were also considered in COVID-19 complications. Data was 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 on a ventilator were 3.54 and 4.57 times higher, respectively.
“If a causal relationship is established between periodontal disease and an increased number of adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients, establishing and maintaining periodontal health could become an important part of care for these patients,” the authors wrote.
Professor Mariano Sanz of the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, one of the authors, said oral bacteria can be inhaled in patients with periodontal disease and infect the lungs.
“This can contribute to the deterioration of patients with COVID-19 and increase the risk of death. Hospital personnel should identify COVID-19 patients with periodontal disease and use oral antiseptics to reduce the transmission of bacteria, ”he said.
Shapira said the link between periodontal disease and lung diseases, including asthma, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is well established.
This study adds further evidence to the links between oral health and respiratory disease. Periodontal disease is a very common disease, but it can be prevented and treated, ”said Shapira.