Physicians and researchers are increasingly understanding the link between COVID-19 and oral health. We’ve seen how COVID-19 severity has been linked to gum disease and how the virus can lead to chronic dry mouth and even oral lesions.
However, new research is now linking tooth loss and COVID-19 risk. But what is the link here, and why does it matter? Here’s what you need to know.
Alveolar Bone Loss Is Associated With COVID-19 Severity
Alveolar bone is the bone in your jaw that surrounds your teeth. When teeth are intact and healthy, generally, alveolar bone is too. Although there are factors that can lead to alveolar bone loss that aren’t tooth loss—such as osteoporosis and injuries—the most common cause of alveolar bone loss is missing teeth.
When a natural tooth is lost, the roots of that tooth that were stimulating the surrounding bone are also lost. Unless bone preservation is done by a dentist after the tooth is lost, bone will continue to deteriorate in the area where the tooth was, which can lead to teeth shifting and a sunken facial appearance.
Research shows that patients with alveolar bone loss are over 5.5 times more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or die from COVID-19 [1]. In fact, the more teeth a patient was missing, the higher the risk for a severe clinical outcome.
How Are Missing Teeth and COVID-19 Severity Linked?
Missing teeth—outside of those lost in an accident or injury—are typically the result of tooth decay and gum disease. Periodontal disease and tooth loss are both oral health conditions that involve inflammation, which can tax the body’s immune system and result in higher levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP).
High levels of C-Reactive Protein are associated with diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well as bacterial infections [2].
Researchers from the study also suspect that poor nutrition, which has also been associated with tooth loss, limits the body’s ability to fight COVID-19 and can lead to more adverse outcomes from the virus [3].
Does Replacing Missing Teeth Help?
Of course, preventing tooth loss in the first place can help protect alveolar bone and potentially reduce heightened levels of CRP in the body. However, once you have lost natural teeth, will replacing them help lower your risk of disease and infection?
While replacing missing teeth with dental implants and dental bridges can certainly help prevent alveolar bone loss, it’s equally important to seek treatment for the tooth decay or gum disease that led to the tooth loss in the first place.
Receiving treatment for these oral health conditions, along with replacing missing teeth, can help restore your oral health and lower inflammation, which can improve your oral health and, in cases of gum disease, potentially improve your immunity.
Ask Your Dentist About Your Oral Health
When was the last time you visited your dentist for a check-up? If you are missing teeth or are concerned you have tooth decay or gum disease, it’s time to talk to your dentist about your oral health. Doing so could just help lower your risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection and improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Sources:
1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667147621002120
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441843/
3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-020-1512-3
