Gustatory dysfunction and oral ulceration in COVID-19 patients: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Over the past year, patients infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus‑2 presented with severe gustatory dysfunction, the prevalence of which varies among
different populations. Furthermore, there have been sporadic reports of oral ulceration observed
in coronavirus disease‑19 (COVID‑19) patients due to varied reasons. The aim of this study was
to investigate and characterize the presence of gustatory disorders, oral ulceration, and other oral
changes in patients with laboratory‑confirmed COVID‑19 infection.
Materials and Methods: In this cross‑sectional observational study, a total of 402 participants
who were detected COVID‑19 positive by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction
were included. Their demographic and clinical data were recorded through hospital records. The
participants were interviewed either in person or on the telephone to record any change in taste
and/or changes within the oral cavity. t‑test for independent means was used to compare mean
age, while other characteristics were compared by Chi‑square test and Z‑score test. P < 0.05 was
taken as significant.
Results: Out of the total sample of 402 individuals, 262 were male and 140 were female. The
prevalence of gustatory dysfunction and oral ulceration was 43.53% and 15.67%, respectively, in
the studied sample. Significantly more females had gustatory dysfunction than males and older
subjects more commonly than younger. The symptom of loss/change of taste and oral ulceration
were more probable to occur together. In addition, the tongue was the most common site for
ulceration in our studied sample.
Conclusion: Loss of taste is a common symptom of COVID‑19 patients, whereas oral ulceration
is not so commonly reported. However, the presence of both these symptoms could impair the
quality of life of patients and hamper adequate nutritional uptake.
Key Words: Ageusia, coronavirus, coronavirus disease‑19, oral ulcer, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‑2