Manifestações bucais na COVID Longa: prevalência, fatores associados e evidencias epidemiológicas

Abstract

Post-COVID-19 condition (Long COVID) represents an emerging challenge for health systems, characterized by the persistence of symptoms following the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This thesis aimed to investigate oral manifestations associated with Long COVID by integrating evidence from the scientific literature, Brazilian population data, and an international comparative analysis. The synthesis of the available evidence identified a prevalence of taste alterations (8%) and combined taste and smell alterations (17%) among individuals with post-COVID-19 condition, suggesting possible shared biological mechanisms, including glandular injury, persistent inflammation, and neuroimmune dysfunction. The results also highlighted gaps in literature, particularly the scarcity of studies focused on the systematic identification of these manifestations in the post-infection period. The analysis of a sample of 1,468 Brazilian individuals, predominantly with a history of mild or moderate COVID-19, revealed a high prevalence of persistent symptoms, including oral manifestations associated with limitations in daily activities (PR = 1.80; 95% CI 1.63– 2.00; p<0.001) and with the presence of multiple systemic symptoms (PR = 2.08; 95% CI 1.79–2.42; p<0.001). These findings demonstrate that Long COVID is not restricted to severe cases and that oral manifestations may represent functional indicators of distress and possible systemic dysfunction. The comparison between matched populations from Brazil and the United States indicated differences in patterns of health care–seeking behavior between the countries, although the burden of oral manifestations remained high in both contexts. Taken together, the results show that oral manifestations constitute clinically relevant components of Long COVID, with significant functional and social impact. These findings reinforce the need to integrate oral health into diagnostic, follow-up, and rehabilitation strategies within health services.