Dental biofilm of symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbours SARS-CoV-2

doi:10.1111/jcpe.13471

. 2021 Jul;48(7):880-885.

doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13471. Epub 2021 May 4.

Dental biofilm of symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbours SARS-CoV-2

Sabrina Carvalho Gomes^{1

2}, Sabrina Fachin³, Juliane Gonçalves da Fonseca³, Patrícia Daniela Melchiors Angst^{1

2}, Marcelo Lazzaron Lamers⁴, Ilma Simoni Brum da Silva⁵, Luciana Neves Nunes⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dentistry School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
² Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
³ Resident in Periodontology, Dental Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Morphological Sciences, Dentistry School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Physiology, Basic Health Science Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁶ Mathematics and Statistics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

PMID: 33899251
PMCID: PMC8251434
DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.13471

Dental biofilm of symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbours SARS-CoV-2

Sabrina Carvalho Gomes et al. J Clin Periodontol. 2021 Jul.

. 2021 Jul;48(7):880-885.

doi: 10.1111/jcpe.13471. Epub 2021 May 4.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dentistry School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
² Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
³ Resident in Periodontology, Dental Faculty, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Morphological Sciences, Dentistry School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Physiology, Basic Health Science Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
⁶ Mathematics and Statistics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.

PMID: 33899251
PMCID: PMC8251434
DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.13471

Abstract

Aims: SARS-CoV-2 RNA has been recovered from different sites in the human body, including the mouth. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the dental biofilm of symptomatic patients who tested positive in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NASO/ORO) samples.

Materials & methods: An observational clinical study of individuals with flu-like symptoms was conducted between July and September 2020. Dental biofilm (BIO) samples were collected and analysed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to determine the virus's presence.

Results: Seventy participants (40 ± 9.8 years of age, 71.4% female) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in NASO/ORO samples and were included in the study. Among them, 13 tested positive in BIO samples (18.6%; 95% CI: [9.5, 27.7]). The median and interquartile range of cycle quantification (Cq) for NASO/ORO and BIO samples were 15.9 [6.9] and 35.9 [4.0] (p = .001), respectively. BIO-positive participants showed a higher virus load in NASO/ORO samples (p = .012) than those testing negative (Cq = 20.4 [6.1]).

Conclusions: Dental biofilms from symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbour SARS-CoV-2 RNA and might be a potential reservoir with an essential role in COVID-19 transmission.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; dental plaque; observational study; pandemics.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have stated that there are no conflicts of interest in connection with this article.

Cited by

Antiviral effect of mouthwashes against SARS-COV-2: A systematic review.
Mezarina Mendoza JPI, Trelles Ubillús BP, Salcedo Bolívar GT, Castañeda Palacios RDP, Herrera Lopez PSG, Padilla Rodríguez DA, Uchima Koecklin KH. Mezarina Mendoza JPI, et al. Saudi Dent J. 2022 Mar;34(3):167-193. doi: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2022.01.006. Epub 2022 Feb 1. Saudi Dent J. 2022. PMID: 35125835 Free PMC article. Review.
The Relationships Among Periodontitis, Pneumonia and COVID-19.
Brock M, Bahammam S, Sima C. Brock M, et al. Front Oral Health. 2022 Jan 21;2:801815. doi: 10.3389/froh.2021.801815. eCollection 2021. Front Oral Health. 2022. PMID: 35128525 Free PMC article. Review.
Role of Virus on Oral Biofilm: Inducer or Eradicator?
Ray RR. Ray RR. Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2024 Mar;196(3):1652-1668. doi: 10.1007/s12010-023-04639-y. Epub 2023 Jul 10. Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2024. PMID: 37428387 Review.
The Oral Cavity Potentially Serving as a Reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 but Not Necessarily Facilitating the Spread of COVID-19 in Dental Practice.
Tsuchiya H. Tsuchiya H. Eur J Dent. 2023 May;17(2):310-318. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1757909. Epub 2022 Dec 20. Eur J Dent. 2023. PMID: 36539210 Free PMC article.
SARS-CoV-2 proteins show great binding affinity to resin composite monomers and polymerized chains.
Sette-de-Souza PH, Fernandes Costa MJ, Dutra Borges BC. Sette-de-Souza PH, et al. World J Exp Med. 2025 Mar 20;15(1):94022. doi: 10.5493/wjem.v15.i1.94022. eCollection 2025 Mar 20. World J Exp Med. 2025. PMID: 40115751 Free PMC article. Review.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. Adhikari, S. P. , Meng, S. , Wu, Y.‐J. , Mao, Y.‐P. , Ye, R.‐X. , Wang, Q.‐Z. , Sun, C. , Sylvia, S. , Rozelle, S. , Raat, H. , & Zhou, H. (2020). Epidemiology, causes, clinical manifestation and diagnosis, prevention and control of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) during the early outbreak period: a scoping review. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 9, 29. 10.1186/s40249-020-00646-x - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Adil, M. T. , Rahman, R. , Whitelaw, D. , Jain, V. , Al‐Taan, O. , Rashid, F. , Munasinghe, A. , & Jambulingam, P. (2021). SARS‐CoV‐2 and the pandemic of COVID‐19. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 97, 110–116. 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138386 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Baker, J. L. , Bor, B. , Agnello, M. , Shi, W. , & He, X. (2017). Ecology of the oral microbiome: Beyond bacteria. Trends in Microbiology, 25, 362–374. 10.1016/j.tim.2016.12.012 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Bjarnsholt, T. , Buhlin, K. , Dufrêne, Y. F. , Gomelsky, M. , Moroni, A. , Ramstedt, M. , Rumbaugh, K. P. , Schulte, T. , Sun, L. , Åkerlund, B. , & Römling, U. (2018). Biofilm formation ‐ what we can learn from recent developments. Journal of Internal Medicine, 284, 332–345. 10.1111/joim.12782 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Burton, J. , Love, H. , Richards, K. , Burton, C. , Summers, S. , Pitman, J. , Easterbrook, L. , Davies, K. , Spencer, P. , Killip, M. , Cane, P. , Bruce, C. , & Roberts, A. D. G. (2021). The effect of heat‐treatment on SARS‐CoV‐2 viability and detection. Journal of Virological Methods, 290, 114087. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114087 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Substances

Actions

Grants and funding

The authors and the Post-graduation Program at the Dental Faculty of the Federal University were responsible for funding.

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations
Medical
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- MedlinePlus Health Information
Miscellaneous
- NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

[1] Adhikari, S. P. , Meng, S. , Wu, Y.‐J. , Mao, Y.‐P. , Ye, R.‐X. , Wang, Q.‐Z. , Sun, C. , Sylvia, S. , Rozelle, S. , Raat, H. , & Zhou, H. (2020). Epidemiology, causes, clinical manifestation and diagnosis, prevention and control of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) during the early outbreak period: a scoping review. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 9, 29. 10.1186/s40249-020-00646-x - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Adhikari, S. P. , Meng, S. , Wu, Y.‐J. , Mao, Y.‐P. , Ye, R.‐X. , Wang, Q.‐Z. , Sun, C. , Sylvia, S. , Rozelle, S. , Raat, H. , & Zhou, H. (2020). Epidemiology, causes, clinical manifestation and diagnosis, prevention and control of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) during the early outbreak period: a scoping review. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 9, 29. 10.1186/s40249-020-00646-x - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Adil, M. T. , Rahman, R. , Whitelaw, D. , Jain, V. , Al‐Taan, O. , Rashid, F. , Munasinghe, A. , & Jambulingam, P. (2021). SARS‐CoV‐2 and the pandemic of COVID‐19. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 97, 110–116. 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138386 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Adil, M. T. , Rahman, R. , Whitelaw, D. , Jain, V. , Al‐Taan, O. , Rashid, F. , Munasinghe, A. , & Jambulingam, P. (2021). SARS‐CoV‐2 and the pandemic of COVID‐19. Postgraduate Medical Journal, 97, 110–116. 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-138386 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Baker, J. L. , Bor, B. , Agnello, M. , Shi, W. , & He, X. (2017). Ecology of the oral microbiome: Beyond bacteria. Trends in Microbiology, 25, 362–374. 10.1016/j.tim.2016.12.012 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Baker, J. L. , Bor, B. , Agnello, M. , Shi, W. , & He, X. (2017). Ecology of the oral microbiome: Beyond bacteria. Trends in Microbiology, 25, 362–374. 10.1016/j.tim.2016.12.012 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Bjarnsholt, T. , Buhlin, K. , Dufrêne, Y. F. , Gomelsky, M. , Moroni, A. , Ramstedt, M. , Rumbaugh, K. P. , Schulte, T. , Sun, L. , Åkerlund, B. , & Römling, U. (2018). Biofilm formation ‐ what we can learn from recent developments. Journal of Internal Medicine, 284, 332–345. 10.1111/joim.12782 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Bjarnsholt, T. , Buhlin, K. , Dufrêne, Y. F. , Gomelsky, M. , Moroni, A. , Ramstedt, M. , Rumbaugh, K. P. , Schulte, T. , Sun, L. , Åkerlund, B. , & Römling, U. (2018). Biofilm formation ‐ what we can learn from recent developments. Journal of Internal Medicine, 284, 332–345. 10.1111/joim.12782 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Burton, J. , Love, H. , Richards, K. , Burton, C. , Summers, S. , Pitman, J. , Easterbrook, L. , Davies, K. , Spencer, P. , Killip, M. , Cane, P. , Bruce, C. , & Roberts, A. D. G. (2021). The effect of heat‐treatment on SARS‐CoV‐2 viability and detection. Journal of Virological Methods, 290, 114087. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114087 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Burton, J. , Love, H. , Richards, K. , Burton, C. , Summers, S. , Pitman, J. , Easterbrook, L. , Davies, K. , Spencer, P. , Killip, M. , Cane, P. , Bruce, C. , & Roberts, A. D. G. (2021). The effect of heat‐treatment on SARS‐CoV‐2 viability and detection. Journal of Virological Methods, 290, 114087. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114087 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Dental biofilm of symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbours SARS-CoV-2

Affiliations

Dental biofilm of symptomatic COVID-19 patients harbours SARS-CoV-2

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical

Miscellaneous

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Related information

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Medical

Miscellaneous