Long Term Oral Symptoms Systematization in Patients who Underwent COVID-19: Case Series Research

Abstract

A number of common long-term morbidities have been reported following COVID-19, and question arises about oral symptoms. In this case series we included 29 adult patients with oral mucosa symptoms ≥2 months after COVID-19 with the aim of highlighting potential interrelations between demographic, oral clinical symptoms and periods elapsed after COVID-19 and its severity. Analysis of medical histories and demographic data showed the correlation between age and severity of previous COVID-19 (r=.5, P=.01), and the presence at least two chronic diseases such were gastrointestinal diseases, arterial hypertension, diabetes, etc. in all participants. Using clinical criteria of diagnosis, we found oral symptoms combined at least two: dry lips and edematose oral mucosa in all participants. The most common diagnosis was chronic candidal glossitis (Сhi-square test, P=.01), presented in different forms and expansions, and correlated with COVID severity (P=.001, r=.6). The second most common symptom was halitosis which combined mainly with candidal glossitis and negatively correlated with COVID severity (P=.001, r=-.6). And the rarest finding was petechial rashes on the hard and soft palate, which also correlated with COVID severity (P=.004, r=.5). After suffering COVID-19 on the background of chronic systemic diseases, it is expected long term incidence of oral mucosa morbidity during 8 months, with a significant prevalence of chronic candidal glossitis. All detected oral symptoms can be explained by concomitant pathology, in contrast to post-COVID syndrome.