Covid 19 and Your Mouth, Worcester, MA

Evryone knows that Covid 19 virus infects upper airways and lungs. Scientists has found that it infects cells in the mouth also.It has been  known  that the saliva of people with COVID-19 can contain high levels of SARS-CoV-2, and that's why saliva testing is nearly as reliable as deep nasal swabbing for diagnosing COVID-19. Scientists don’t entirely know, however, is where SARS-CoV-2 in the saliva comes from. In people with COVID-19 who have respiratory symptoms, virus in saliva possibly comes in part from nasal drainage or sputum coughed up from the lungs.

"After months of collaboration, our study shows that the mouth is a route of infection as well as an incubator for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19," said Kevin M. Byrd, D.D.S., Ph.D., one of the lead researchers and the ADA Science and Research Institute.

It has been noted in the recent New York Times article , that  survirors of Covid 19 patient experiencing , teeth falling out of theie mouth, sensitive gums, dry mouth, loss of taste and smell, cracking of their teeth, teeth turning grey.

If you did not visit your dentist recently, you should cosider to make an appointment.

Author

Nikhil Patel, DMD Dentist