Dental

Dentists have been known to diagnose plethora of diseases through oral cavity which is supposed to be a mirror to overall health. One of the latest symptoms that is being noticed in association with coronavirus infection is COVID tongue where dentists may play a major role.

The term “COVID tongue” was coined recently after Mr Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London tweeted about patients reporting with COVID tongue and tongue ulcers. Mr Spector heads the ZOE COVID-19 Symptom Study app, where participants submit symptom reports on a daily basis. He found in his research that almost 1-2 patients out of every 500 got some strange symptoms in their mouths with may include swelling in the tongue, strange patches on the tongues and ulcers. According to the ZOE website, however, there is an increased user submissions of abnormal looking tongue, in particular white and patchy appearance.

According to The British Journal of Dermatology, which published a report on 666 patients, 25.7% patients had oral cavity symptoms and 3.9% were reported having tongue swelling with patchy depapillation. As per Oral Diseases report, COVID‐19 patients frequently develop oral lesions symptoms related to a certain state of immunosuppression where stress may also play a crucial role in the appearance of these oral conditions.

The British Dental Journal, published by Springer Nature, has suggested that the COVID Tongue has a resemblance of Geographic Tongue, an inflammatory condition affecting the surface of tongue. While there may be a possible association of Geographic Tongue with SARS-CoV-2 infection, there are only two communications in the literature reporting it as part of COVID-19 illness till date. The symptoms may be linked to the elevated levels of the inflammatory Cytokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in both Geographic Tongue and SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as higher angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor expression in the tongue where ACE2 receptors are also the entry point of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The diagnostic value of COVID Tongue is still unknown and it should be treated with caution. According to the ZOE website, these changes to the mouth or tongue may not be the only symptom of COVID-19, or whether they tend to come earlier or later in the illness. Whilst a report by NDTV also claims that COVID Tongue could be one of the “non-classic symptoms” that tends to get overlooked since not every ulcer or patch in the mouth is associated with COVID. This may be very early sign in a very recent finding.

Contributed by: Lt Gen Dr Vimal Arora & Dr Rahul Kumar Raman

One of the most unpleasant lifestyle conditions to have in today’s time and age is diabetes, where your body loses its ability to control the blood sugar levels in your body. With a plethora of other problems and effects that it has on our bodies, diabetes is known to slow down our healing. This raises another set of queries and confusions in people willing to take other treatments for different situations.

This includes getting a dental implant. The problem is that while diabetes is ruining your overall health, a missing tooth can cause the situation to worsen with time. You see, a missing tooth can cause your cheeks to sag and bring more signs of ageing to your face than age itself can. But since common knowledge is that dental implants need at least 6 months to heal and are titanium posts inserted into your jaw bone, diabetes may pose a huge problem for people looking to get implants.

In such a case, the question about the safety of the use of dental implants is completely legitimate for diabetics to ask. Here is a quick look at this matter so you can get all the answers you need before you go for your dental implant procedure.

Effect of Diabetes on Dental Implant

Diabetes affects the entire body in ways that can be described as disruptive. For people looking to replace a missing tooth while also struggling with diabetes, there are a number of options. A dental implant is usually preferred by people when they need a treatment that lasts long, replicates the natural tooth as closely as it can, and provides support to the rest of the teeth.

However, they rely on the body’s healing power so the root can be integrated into the jawbone. This is followed by the gums healing around the implant. This healing process is what makes the implant seem like a real tooth and a more permanent solution than bridges and dentures. However, as talked about above, diabetes gets in between the healing process, which significantly increases the chances of implant failure.

While it is true that implants have a really high success rate (95%), but even they can fail if proper care is not taken. And an underlying condition like diabetes can significantly reduce the success rate as well.

But Is It Safe?

Yes, if your diabetes is well under control and your health is completely in your favour, you can get a dental implant. In fact, a dental implant is a better option to help you heal and to follow diabetes based diet as compared to bridges and dentures. You don’t even have to worry about implant failure if you are on top of your health. And for knowing the exact status of whether you can get an implant or not, it is always important to disclose your exact medical history to your dentist.

So the bottom line is that yes dental implants are safe for people with diabets, but it is more important to maintain and monitor your health before getting them. A comprehensive examination before the tooth implant procedure is a must. For the best results and complete care for all your dental needs, meet the professionals at Clove Dental. Book your appointment with a professional today.

COVID Tongue: Be Considered as a Symptom After All?

Are Dental Implants Safe for you If You Have Diabetes?

Effect of Diabetes on Dental Implant

But Is It Safe?