Wadhwa S, Dave S, Daily M, Nardone A, Li R, Rosario J, Cantos A, Shah J, Lu H, McMahon D, Yin M. The Role of Oral Health in the Acquisition and Severity of SARS-CoV-2: A Retrospective Chart Review.
Saudi Dent J 2022;
34:596-603. [PMID:
35974970 PMCID:
PMC9371763 DOI:
10.1016/j.sdentj.2022.08.001]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective
Studies have shown that gingival crevices may be a significant route for SARS-CoV-2 entry. However, the role of oral health in the acquisition and severity of COVID-19 is not known.
Design
A retrospective analysis was performed using electronic health record data from a large urban academic medical center between 12/1/2019 and 8/24/2020. A total of 387 COVID-19 positive cases were identified and matched 1:1 by age, sex, and race to 387 controls without COVID-19 diagnoses. Demographics, number of missing teeth and alveolar crestal height were determined from radiographs and medical/dental charts. In a subgroup of 107 cases and controls, we also examined the rate of change in alveolar crestal height. A conditional logistic regression model was utilized to assess association between alveolar crestal height and missing teeth with COVID-19 status and with hospitalization status among COVID-19 cases.
Results
Increased alveolar bone loss, OR = 4.302 (2.510 - 7.376), fewer missing teeth, OR = 0.897 (0.835-0.965) and lack of smoking history distinguished COVID-19 cases from controls. After adjusting for time between examinations, cases with COVID-19 had greater alveolar bone loss compared to controls (0.641 ± 0.613 mm vs 0.260 ± 0.631 mm, p < 0.01.) Among cases with COVID-19, increased number of missing teeth OR = 2.1871 (1.146- 4.174) was significantly associated with hospitalization.
Conclusions
Alveolar bone loss and missing teeth are positively associated with the acquisition and severity of COVID-19 disease, respectively.
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