ORAL MANIFESTATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED COVID-19 PATIENTS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of oral manifestations in patients with COVID-19 hospitalized with 4 months of follow-up.
Material and methods: This research surveyed the patients admitted to Shahid Beheshti
Hospital in Kashan. Patients admitted to the hospital were asked to fill a questionnaire containing questions about the amount of xerostomia, changes in their sense of smell and taste compared to the past, the appearance of a new white or red area in their mouth, the occurrence of ulcers or burning in the mouth. Then, photographs of the palate, tongue region, buccal region on both sides, floor of the mouth and teeth from the patient’s front view were taken. The patient was followed weekly in the hospital. The first outside of the hospital follow-up was done two weeks after their discharge and then monthly up to 4 months. Finally, all the photos were reviewed and compared by an oral disease specialist.
Results: Out of 304 patients, only 5 patients (1.6%) had no symptoms in their oral on the day of admission. The most common oral manifestation was coated tongue (77%) followed by xerostomia (70.1%). Also, 45.1% gustatory disorders and 43.1% olfactory disorders were reported. With increasing age, the occurrence of oral manifestations increased (p<0.05), but the occurrence of oral manifestations was not related to gender (p>0.05). The results of generalized estimating equation analysis showed a decrease in oral manifestations during the study (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Coated tongue, xerostomia and gustatory disorders were among the most
prevalent oral manifestations reported in this study. Older patients had more oral manifestations.
The occurrence of manifestations was not related to gender. By recovering from the disease, the occurrence of oral manifestations also decreased.
Clinical Significance: Diagnosing and treating oral manifestations can cause to diagnose
and treat COVID-19 disease.