Dry mouth or in medical language it is called xerostomia is said to be symptoms of Covid-19 which should not be ignored. This follows a recent report published by the National Institute of Health, which states that nearly half of patients experience these symptoms.
Dry mouth or xerostomia is an early symptom Covid-19. Patients can experience these symptoms even a few days before the onset of fever, sore throat, or other symptoms of which you are familiar with before.
“When a person has dry mouth, his body is unable to produce saliva which protects the mouth from dangerous pathogens, including the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes Covid-19,” said Internal Medicine Specialist at Bhatia Hospital, India, Dr. Samrat Shah, quoted from Indian Express.
When a person has xerostomia, their saliva will feel thicker, their mouth feels very dry, and there is a sticky feeling in the area from the mouth to the throat. “Xerostomia itself can occur when the virus has attacked the lining of the mouth and surrounding muscle fibers,” added Dr. Shah.
Also Read: Hearing Loss and Vertigo Could Be New Symptoms of Covid-19
Also Read: Research Reveals Long Covid-19 Can Cause Hair Loss
Not only because of Covid-19, dry mouth or xerostomia can also be experienced by patients with other diseases such as type 1 diabetes, hyperthyroidism, autoimmune diseases, kidney failure, vitamin deficiencies, the effects of certain drugs, and other viral infections.
Especially in relation to Covid-19, “Research has proven that the ACE2 protein is also found in the oral mucosa and when the mouth is dry, the virus can enter and invade the body through the ACE2 ‘door’,” explained Dr. Shah.
Xerostomia is said to be an effort to diagnose Covid-19 early. When someone has complained that their mouth is dry, they are expected to immediately go to the doctor to find out more about what causes the condition to appear. This is important in order to prevent transmission and more severe health conditions.
Apart from dry mouth, recent research has also revealed that the ‘Covid tongue’ is another new symptom of Covid-19 that cannot be underestimated.
Covid’s tongue is a manifestation when the body fails to produce saliva which protects the mouth from bad bacteria. When a patient experiences a Covid tongue, it is usually accompanied by a change in tongue sensation and muscle pain when chewing due to continuous ulcers. That is, the tongue starts out white and the appearance is uneven.
–
–
