Is periodontitis a risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness?

Potential associations between periodontitis and a range of systemic conditions, including coronary heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease, have been widely reported. This review evaluates the evidence for a similar link between periodontitis and the outcomes of COVID-19 infection during the recent pandemic, alongside potential biological mechanisms underlying such an association. The evidence available to date, while limited, does tend to support an association, with periodontitis patients being at increased risk of developing adverse outcomes, including the need for assisted ventilation, ICU admission and death. A range of factors have been suggested to explain such an association both locally within the periodontal pocket and more systemically through bacteraemia and increased levels of systemic inflammation. This apparent association between periodontitis and adverse COVID-19 outcomes further highlights the importance of improving and maintaining periodontal health in our population.