TY - JOUR
T1 - Oral manifestations in young adults infected with COVID-19 and impact of smoking
T2 - a multi-country cross-sectional study
AU - Tantawi, Maha El
AU - Sabbagh, Heba Jafar
AU - Alkhateeb, Nada Abubakor
AU - Quritum, Maryam
AU - Abourdan, Joud
AU - Qureshi, Nafeesa
AU - Qureshi, Shabnum
AU - Hamoud, Ahmed
AU - Mahmoud, Nada
AU - Odeh, Ruba
AU - Al-Khanati, Nuraldeen Maher
AU - Jaber, Rawiah
AU - Balkhoyor, Abdulrahman Loaie
AU - Shabi, Mohammed
AU - Folayan, Morenike O.
AU - Gomaa, Noha
AU - Nahdi, Raqiya Al
AU - Mahmoud, Nawal
AU - Wazziki, Hanane El
AU - Alnaas, Manal
AU - Samodien, Bahia
AU - Mahmoud, Rawa
AU - Assab, Nour Abu
AU - Saad, Sherin
AU - Al-Hachim, Sondos
AU - Alshaikh, Ali
AU - Abdelaziz, Wafaa
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors received no funding for this work. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2022 El Tantawi et al.
PY - 2022/7/15
Y1 - 2022/7/15
N2 - Background: Oral manifestations and lesions could adversely impact the quality of people's lives. COVID-19 infection may interact with smoking and the impact on oral manifestations is yet to be discovered. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the self-reported presence of oral lesions by COVID-19-infected young adults and the differences in the association between oral lesions and COVID-19 infection in smokers and non-smokers. Methods: This cross-sectional multi-country study recruited 18-to-23-year-old adults. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on COVID-19-infection status, smoking and the presence of oral lesions (dry mouth, change in taste, and others) using an online platform. Multi-level logistic regression was used to assess the associations between the oral lesions and COVID-19 infection; the modifying effect of smoking on the associations. Results: Data was available from 5,342 respondents from 43 countries. Of these, 8.1% reported COVID-19-infection, 42.7% had oral manifestations and 12.3% were smokers. A significantly greater percentage of participants with COVID-19-infection reported dry mouth and change in taste than non-infected participants. Dry mouth (11.1% vs 7.5%, p = 0.009) and change in taste (11.5% vs 2.7%, p < 0.001) were greater in COVID-19 infected than non-infected persons. The association between COVID-19-infection and dry mouth was stronger among smokers than non-smokers (AOR = 1.26 and 1.03, p = 0.09) while the association with change in taste was stronger among non-smokers (AOR = 1.22 and 1.13, p = 0.86). Conclusion: Dry mouth and changed taste may be used as an indicator for COVID-19 infection in low COVID-19-testing environments. Smoking may modify the association between some oral lesions and COVID-19-infection.
AB - Background: Oral manifestations and lesions could adversely impact the quality of people's lives. COVID-19 infection may interact with smoking and the impact on oral manifestations is yet to be discovered. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the self-reported presence of oral lesions by COVID-19-infected young adults and the differences in the association between oral lesions and COVID-19 infection in smokers and non-smokers. Methods: This cross-sectional multi-country study recruited 18-to-23-year-old adults. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on COVID-19-infection status, smoking and the presence of oral lesions (dry mouth, change in taste, and others) using an online platform. Multi-level logistic regression was used to assess the associations between the oral lesions and COVID-19 infection; the modifying effect of smoking on the associations. Results: Data was available from 5,342 respondents from 43 countries. Of these, 8.1% reported COVID-19-infection, 42.7% had oral manifestations and 12.3% were smokers. A significantly greater percentage of participants with COVID-19-infection reported dry mouth and change in taste than non-infected participants. Dry mouth (11.1% vs 7.5%, p = 0.009) and change in taste (11.5% vs 2.7%, p < 0.001) were greater in COVID-19 infected than non-infected persons. The association between COVID-19-infection and dry mouth was stronger among smokers than non-smokers (AOR = 1.26 and 1.03, p = 0.09) while the association with change in taste was stronger among non-smokers (AOR = 1.22 and 1.13, p = 0.86). Conclusion: Dry mouth and changed taste may be used as an indicator for COVID-19 infection in low COVID-19-testing environments. Smoking may modify the association between some oral lesions and COVID-19-infection.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Dry mouth
KW - Oral lesions
KW - Smoking
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135027266&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7717/peerj.13555
DO - 10.7717/peerj.13555
M3 - Article
C2 - 35860046
AN - SCOPUS:85135027266
SN - 2167-8359
VL - 10
JO - PeerJ
JF - PeerJ
M1 - e13555
ER -