Oral manifestations in young adults infected with COVID-19 and impact of smoking: a multi-country cross-sectional study

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 - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85135027266

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 -