The research, published in the Journal of Oral Medicine and Dental Research on April 20, revealed that COVID-19 patients with gum disease were 3.5 times more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit, 4.5 times more likely need a ventilator, and 8.8 times more likely to die than those without gum disease.
“[Daily] oral hygiene and oral healthcare should be prioritized as such measures could be potentially lifesaving for COVID-19 patients,” the study read. The authors noted that simple low-cost measures, such as use of mouthwashes, could “decrease the salivary viral load” and help prevent or mitigate the development of lung disease and severe COVID-19.
The research team is comprised of experts from the Salisbury District Hospital, United Kingdom; Mouth-Body Research Institute, United States; Mouth-Body Research Institute, South Africa; and The University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)