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Review
. 2021 Sep 11;26(18):5516.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26185516.

The Influence of Propolis on Dental Plaque Reduction and the Correlation between Dental Plaque and Severity of COVID-19 Complications-A Literature Review

Anna Kurek-Górecka  1 , Karolina Walczyńska-Dragon  2 , Rafael Felitti  3 , Aleksandra Nitecka-Buchta  2 , Stefan Baron  2 , Paweł Olczyk  1
Affiliations
Review

The Influence of Propolis on Dental Plaque Reduction and the Correlation between Dental Plaque and Severity of COVID-19 Complications-A Literature Review

Anna Kurek-Górecka et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Current studies suggest that cariogenic bacteria in dental plaque influence the severity of COVID-19 complications since the oral cavity is a reservoir for respiratory pathogens potentially responsible for the development of hospital-acquired pneumonia. This article focuses on the association between dental plaque and COVID-19 concerning the influence of altered oral biofilm on the risk of increased severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, it concentrates on the usefulness of propolis, with its apitherapeutic antibacterial properties, for treating oral bacterial infections co-occurring with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A review of the literature on PubMed, Cochrane Library and Medline between 2000 and 2021 revealed 56 published articles indicating that a link between dental plaque and COVID-19 complications was probable. Furthermore, they indicated that propolis may minimize COVID-19 severity by reducing dental plaque accumulation. The possibility that improved oral health could reduce the risk of COVID-19 complications should be of interest to scientists.

Keywords: COVID-19 complications; dental caries; dental plaque; propolis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The connection between altered oral biofilm and complications of COVID-19.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The mechanisms explaining the dental plaque influence on severity of COVID-19 complications.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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