COVID 19 and Gums

We already know that COVID-19 is a serious illness that affects multiple systems in your body like your respiratory system and nervous system. But each patient is affected slightly differently and may have different complications than someone else. As scientists review the medical conditions that are associated with severe COVID-19, gum disease has been linked to both COVID-19 and the other medical conditions that are related to COVID-19.

Gum disease occurs when the plaque along the gum line is not completely removed and hardens into calculus. The bacteria that causes this plaque growth starts to move below the gums because the gums have separated from the teeth and created pockets for the bacteria. Tooth decay causes weakening of spots on your teeth, but gum disease erodes the support system of your teeth. Gum disease has different stages of seriousness but about 90% of all American adults have some stage of the disease. Typically, people develop gum disease from not following the best at home practices for dental care.

The body responds to gum disease through inflammation because the body is trying to help address the bacterial infection. The process is called a cytokine storm and it is a result of proteins being released. With the pockets in your gums, these inflammatory proteins can enter your bloodstream easily and cause inflammation in other places throughout your body. Inflammation in your tissues and organs can lead to damage and decreased functionality.

A study from October 2020 that was published in the Journal of the California Dental Association showed a strong correlation between people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and who had untreated gum disease were at a higher risk to experience respiratory failure. People who had more serious cases of gum disease or periodontitis with bone loss where more likely to have severe COVID-19 symptoms. Because of the inflammatory proteins in the blood stream and throughout the body as a result of the gum disease, there was a higher level of respiratory damage from the coronavirus disease.

Dentists already know that gum disease can affect your overall health when it is left untreated, but the additional risks from COVID-19 can leave your body at risk for even more serious versions of COVID-19 compared to people with healthy gums. Additionally, dentists have been able to link gum disease to other serious health issues like diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer-s disease, and cancer. Unfortunately, people who have the combination of gum disease and uncontrolled diabetes, the risks of COVID-19 are even more life threatening. The bi-directionality of diabetes and gum disease leaves people more likely to have problems with the one disease as a result of the other.

People who are older than 65 are more likely to have gum disease and of those people, Hispanic and African American people have an even higher incidences of serious gum disease. We already know that people in this age range are more likely to have more serious versions of COVID-19, but if they also have gum disease, they really are in danger for having a very bad experience if they become infected.

What made this topic important was not only the discussion around viral illness itself, but the way systemic inflammation can overlap with oral inflammation. Gum tissues respond to bacterial plaque locally, yet the mouth is also part of the body’s larger inflammatory burden. That is one reason dentists and periodontists pay attention to swelling, bleeding, and infection in the gums even when patients think of them as isolated dental problems.

From a practical standpoint, patients do not need to wait for a major systemic health event to take periodontal inflammation seriously. If gums are red, puffy, tender, or bleed consistently, the condition is worth evaluating on its own. Better home care, timely cleanings, and targeted periodontal treatment can improve oral health and reduce one ongoing source of inflammatory stress in the body.

Patients also tend to get better results when they bring specific questions to the consultation and understand how diagnosis, maintenance, and follow-up shape the outcome after treatment. Clear expectations do not replace clinical care, but they often help patients move into the right treatment plan sooner and with more confidence.

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