The expression of melatonin and its receptors in the oral cavity could protect against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 entry

Jawahar Babu Shanmugam; Pearlcid Siroraj; Saranya Varadarajan; Lakshmi Priya Sridhar; J. Raghunathan; Kousalya Devi Rajamanickam; Selva Ganesh; Thodur Madapusi Balaji

doi:10.15713/ins.jodm.32

The expression of melatonin and its receptors in the oral cavity could protect against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 entry

Journal of Oral Disease Marker ◽

10.15713/ins.jodm.32 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 14-16

Author(s):

Jawahar Babu Shanmugam ◽

Pearlcid Siroraj ◽

Saranya Varadarajan ◽

Lakshmi Priya Sridhar ◽

J. Raghunathan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Oral Cavity

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Dentistry and COVID-19 - Is there a moral duty of care?

South African Dental Journal ◽

10.17159/2519-0105/2020/v75no9a7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 75 (9) ◽

pp. 514-517

Author(s):

Pagollang D Motloba ◽

Hilde Miniggio ◽

Nokukhanya L Makwakwa

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Virus Disease ◽

Moral Duty ◽

Duty Of Care ◽

The World ◽

The Impact ◽

Dental Professionals

The world is witnessing the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with countless serious and fatal cases of corona virus disease (COVID-19). The impact of this pandemic has been most devastating among the health professionals due to the nature of their work. The risk of COVID-19 is particularly greater among oral health professionals due to their proximity to the oral cavity and production of aerosols. This scenario then raises the question, is there a moral duty for dental professionals to care for patients when doing so exposes them to significant risks of COVID-19.

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Oral Manifestations of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): An Overview

Dental Update ◽

10.12968/denu.2021.48.5.418 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 48 (5) ◽

pp. 418-422

Author(s):

Lakshman Samaranayake ◽

Kausar Sadia Fakhruddin ◽

Nihal Bandara

Keyword(s):

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Clinical Relevance ◽

Signs And Symptoms ◽

The Other ◽

Oral Manifestations ◽

Spontaneous Bleeding ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Cursory Examination ◽

Attending Physicians

The grim milestone of three million deaths due to the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was reached a few weeks ago. COVID-19 is a multi-system all-pervasive disease with protean manifestations, and its major signs and symptoms, such as the incessant dry cough, fever, and pneumonia, are well known. Yet, its mucocutaneous manifestations, particularly those of the oral cavity, appear to be little recognized. This may be due either to the rarity of oral manifestations of COVID-19, or poor detection of such symptoms by attending physicians who may do only a cursory examination of the oral mucosa because of the overwhelming gravity of the other major systemic presentations. Nevertheless, there are now a considerable number of reports, including systematic reviews, on oral manifestations of COVID-19 in the literature. These, apart from the now well-known dysgeusia of COVID-19, range from ulcers, erosions, bullae, vesicles, mucosal pustules, macules, papules and pigmentations, as well as haemorrhagic manifestations including petechiae, crusts and spontaneous bleeding. Unfortunately, the majority of these reports are anecdotal in nature and remain to be substantiated. Here, we provide a brief overview of the reported oral manifestations of COVID-19, and their management protocols. CPD/Clinical Relevance: To raise awareness of the currently reported major and minor oral manifestations of COVID-19 and their management protocols.

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Oral and Oropharyngeal Sensory Function in Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2019_ajslp-19-00095 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 864-872

Author(s):

Fernanda Borowsky da Rosa ◽

Adriane Schmidt Pasqualoto ◽

Catriona M. Steele ◽

Renata Mancopes

Keyword(s):

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Oral Cavity ◽

Pulmonary Disease ◽

Thermal Sensation ◽

Sensory Function ◽

Control Group ◽

Chronic Obstructive ◽

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽

Age Related ◽

Copd Patients

Introduction The oral cavity and pharynx have a rich sensory system composed of specialized receptors. The integrity of oropharyngeal sensation is thought to be fundamental for safe and efficient swallowing. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are at risk for oropharyngeal sensory impairment due to frequent use of inhaled medications and comorbidities including gastroesophageal reflux disease. Objective This study aimed to describe and compare oral and oropharyngeal sensory function measured using noninstrumental clinical methods in adults with COPD and healthy controls. Method Participants included 27 adults (18 men, nine women) with a diagnosis of COPD and a mean age of 66.56 years ( SD = 8.68). The control group comprised 11 healthy adults (five men, six women) with a mean age of 60.09 years ( SD = 11.57). Spirometry measures confirmed reduced functional expiratory volumes (% predicted) in the COPD patients compared to the control participants. All participants completed a case history interview and underwent clinical evaluation of oral and oropharyngeal sensation by a speech-language pathologist. The sensory evaluation explored the detection of tactile and temperature stimuli delivered by cotton swab to six locations in the oral cavity and two in the oropharynx as well as identification of the taste of stimuli administered in 5-ml boluses to the mouth. Analyses explored the frequencies of accurate responses regarding stimulus location, temperature and taste between groups, and between age groups (“≤ 65 years” and “> 65 years”) within the COPD cohort. Results We found significantly higher frequencies of reported use of inhaled medications ( p < .001) and xerostomia ( p = .003) in the COPD cohort. Oral cavity thermal sensation ( p = .009) was reduced in the COPD participants, and a significant age-related decline in gustatory sensation was found in the COPD group ( p = .018). Conclusion This study found that most of the measures of oral and oropharyngeal sensation remained intact in the COPD group. Oral thermal sensation was impaired in individuals with COPD, and reduced gustatory sensation was observed in the older COPD participants. Possible links between these results and the use of inhaled medication by individuals with COPD are discussed.

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