Oral Findings in Institutionalized COVID-19 Patients- A Preliminary Survey

Introduction: Since its discovery in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has rapidly spread the world over. Much research involving the virus, disease and its pathogenesis is now published. However, apart from some case studies, there is no large scale reporting done of the oral findings in patients infected by the virus. Aims: To record the oral soft tissue findings, report significant or peculiar findings, if any, and correlate laboratory and clinical findings, in patients suffering from Covid-19 disease. Methods and material: 101 COVID -19 patients admitted at a tertiary healthcare and medical teaching institute were clinically examined by a trained single investigator (House officer from the department of Dentistry of LTMMC & LTMGH, Sion Mumbai) in September 2020. Results: Thirty-nine patients had oral findings. A majority (twenty-two) had ulcers, seven showed signs of inflammation of their oral mucosa, five had white oral mucosal patches, three had bald tongues, four had angular cheilitis, and two patients had spontaneous bleeding due to oral lesions. Eight patients also had atypical ulcers, mostly on their tongue. These ulcers have, to the best of our knowledge, not yet been reported elsewhere. They could be a manifestation of COVID -19 infections, and the topic of further research. Discussion: COVID-19 patients do exhibit certain oral signs and symptoms, with majority on the tongue.