Self-Reported Periodontal Disease and Its Association with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 16; p. 10306
• Main Authors: Guardado-Luevanos, Israel, Bologna-Molina, Ronell, Zepeda-Nuño, José Sergio, Isiordia-Espinoza, Mario, Molina-Frechero, Nelly, González-González, Rogelio, Pérez-Pérez, Mauricio, López-Verdín, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 18.08.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Chronic illnesses; Complications; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cytokine storm; Cytokines; Diabetes; Disease; Epidemiology; Gum disease; Health risks; Hypertension; Infections; Inflammatory diseases; Oral cavity; Pandemics; Periodontal disease; Periodontal diseases; Questionnaires; Questions; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Self report; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Statistical analysis; Tobacco; Viral diseases; Viral infections; Virulence; Viruses
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610306

Introduction: Knowledge of the oral manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the new coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic, was hindered due to the restrictions issued to avoid proximity between people and to stop the rapid spread of the disease, which ultimately results in a hyperinflammatory cytokine storm that can cause death. Because periodontal disease is one of the most frequent inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, various theories have emerged postulating periodontal disease as a risk factor for developing severe complications associated with COVID-19. This motivated various studies to integrate questions related to periodontal status. For the present work, we used a previously validated self-report, which is a useful tool for facilitating epidemiological studies of periodontal disease on a large scale. Methodology: A blinded case-control study with participants matched 1:1 by mean age (37.7 years), sex, tobacco habits and diseases was conducted. After the diagnostic samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection were taken in an ad hoc location at Guadalajara University, the subjects were interviewed using structured questionnaires to gather demographic, epidemiological and COVID-19 symptom information. The self-reported periodontal disease (Self-RPD) questionnaire included six questions, and subjects who met the criteria with a score ≥ 2 were considered to have periodontal disease. Results: In total, 369 participants were recruited, with 117 participants included in each group. After indicating the subjects who had self-reported periodontal disease, a statistically significant difference (p value ≤ 0.001) was observed, showing that self-reported periodontal disease (n = 95, 85.1%) was higher in SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals than in controls (n = 66, 56.4%), with an OR of 3.3 (1.8–6.0) for SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with self-reported periodontal disease. Cases reported a statistically higher median of symptoms (median = 7.0, Q1= 5.5, Q3 = 10.0) than controls (p value ≤ 0.01), and cases with positive self-RPD had a significantly (p value ≤ 0.05) higher number of symptoms (median = 8.0, Q1 = 6.0, Q3 = 10.0) in comparison with those who did negative self-RPD (median = 6.0, Q1 = 5.0, Q3 = 8.0). Conclusions: According to this study, self-reported periodontal disease could be considered a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and these individuals present more symptoms.