Background: Since the first emergence of COVID-19 infection in December 2019, in Wuhan, China. many symptoms were recognized including those affecting the oral cavity. Therefore, the study aimed to survey for oral manifestations in suspected and confirmed infected patients and associate them with the demographic data and medical history.
Methods: an online questionnaire was used to collect data and was distributed from May 1 to August 15, 2021. The oral manifestations were divided into four categories: taste-related, salivary glands-related, mucosa-related symptoms, and no oral manifestations.
Results: Participants were 270 from different Governates in Egypt. Oral symptoms were prevalent in 84% of total cases, the most prevalent were taste-related symptoms (73.3%), salivary glands related (51.5%) and mucosa related (17.4%). Also, females showed more salivary gland-related symptoms than males. A significant association was found between patients with a previous history of oral ulcers and mucosa-related manifestations after infection.
Conclusion: Accordingly, COVID-19 infection is heavily prevalent in the oral cavity and its oral manifestations could be used as an early diagnostic aid.