Coronavirus and Periodontal Disease - A Warning

Abstract

Infections in the ICU are directly associated with the causes of
morbidity and mortality in hospitals worldwide [1]. An international,
multicenter, prospective study on the prevalence of infection in
the ICU points out the clear relationship between infection and
mortality [2]. In this study, a group of fourteen thousand four
hundred and fourteen (14,414) patients was evaluated, of which
one thousand two hundred and thirty (1,230) were Brazilian,
coming from ninety (90) intensive care units in Brazil. Of these,
61.6% had infection on the day of the study and the lung was
the main site of infection (71.2%). 50% of the patients had a
positive culture, with a predominance of bacilli. It is estimated
that an individual with moderate to severe periodontitis has an
area of 72cm2  (8.5cmx8, (71% subgingival descm) of ulcerated
epithelium in contact with microorganisms gram-negative biofilm
[3]. Remembering that the greater the gingival inflammation, the
greater the permeability of the junctional epithelium, favoring
the penetration of bacterial endotoxins and the production of
proinflammatory cytokines by the host [4,5].