Assessment of studies on oral manifestations and COVID-19: a meta-research study

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate how different study designs influences the presence and characteristics of diagnosis of oral manifestations in patients with COVID-19.

Methods

This study is a meta-search conducted with studies evaluating the relationship between patients with oral manifestations and COVID-19. A search was conducted in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus), using terms specific to COVID-19 and oral lesions, including only primary studies. Study selection was undertaken by two reviewers independently. A descriptive analysis was performed.

Results

The results included 55 studies in the data synthesis analysis. Most of the studies were case reports and case series. Some of the studies did not relate a biological test to confirm COVID-19. The ulcer lesion and that clinical examination by specialists were the most reported lesion in case reports and case series studies, while taste alterations and patient self-report were more reported in observational studies.

Conclusions

This review concluded that the oral lesions in patients with COVID-19 differ according to the study design. The lack of high-quality scientific evidence in the dental literature on COVID-19 makes the findings inconsistent by the lack of sample selection criteria, diagnostic criteria and classification of oral lesions.

Keywords
Epidemiology; COVID-19; Methods; Diagnosis, oral