Oral Lesions and Saliva Alterations of COVID‐19 Patients in an Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Study

AbstractAimTo detect the type and frequency of oral lesions and clinical conditions suggestive of saliva alterations in COVID‐19 patients in an intensive care unit (ICU), as well as to describe the patient´s management in each caseMethodsInformation about oral conditions and mechanical ventilation was collected from oral medicine records of COVID‐19 patients in an ICU (n = 519)ResultsFrom the total collected, 472 patients (90.9%) were examined by the oral medicine staff. In 242/472 patients (51.3%), alterations in the oral cavity were noted. The most frequent changes were mechanical trauma (18.1%, derived mainly from intubation), vascular/coagulation disturbances (24.1%, petechiae, bruises, varicoses, and oral bleeding), and saliva alterations (24.4%, dry mouth, and sialorrhea). Infectious lesions were mentioned in the oral medicine records (16.9%), most associated with a viral infection (15.7%), mainly herpesvirus. Improved oral change protocols included oral hygiene, use of specific medications, and laser therapyConclusionCOVID‐19 patients in the ICU often showed dryness in the oral and mucosa oral lesions related to vascular/coagulation disturbances, and mechanical trauma derived from orotracheal tube. An oral medicine staff must be aligned with the ICU multidisciplinary team to manage COVID‐19 patients, as well as to establish diagnoses and oral cavity treatments.