HealthDay (4/21, Preidt) reports a new study has found that “high concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in saliva and gum disease” are associated with “an increased risk of death” from COVID-19. Researchers suggest that “SARS-CoV-2 can get into the lungs through saliva, with the virus moving straight from the mouth to the bloodstream.” In addition, “dental plaque accumulation and gum inflammation” may “increase the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 reaching the lungs and causing more severe infection, researchers said.” The “model may help us understand why some individuals develop COVID-19 lung disease and others do not,” said study co-author Dr. Iain Chapple. The findings were published in the Journal of Oral Medicine and Dental Research.
Dentistry Today (4/21) reports that the findings “could make effective oral healthcare potentially lifesaving, the researchers said.”
Science Times (4/21, Morales) also reports.
Researchers: Gum Disease May Increase Risk Of Severe COVID-19
