Warning issued over condition that makes you nine times more likely to die of Covid

Coronavirus patients with gum disease are nine times more likely to die, new study results show.
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Researchers also warn Covid patients are three times more likely to end up in intensive care or on a ventilator if they already suffer from periodontitis, a serious form of gum disease that affects up to half of all adults worldwide.

Analysts looked at the health records of 568 Covid-19 patients, of which 40 ended up in intensive care, on a ventilator or dead.

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Whether the patients suffered from serious gum disease was then analysed, as well as other factors - including diabetes, head disease, asthma and BMI.

COVID-19 patients with gum disease are almost nine times more likely to die with the illness.COVID-19 patients with gum disease are almost nine times more likely to die with the illness.
COVID-19 patients with gum disease are almost nine times more likely to die with the illness.

People with gum disease were as high as 8.8 times more likely to die, and the chances of ending up in intensive care was 3.54 higher.

The study was conducted in Madrid, in Spain, and co-authored by researchers at the University of Bristol.

“The results of the study suggest that the inflammation in the oral cavity may open the door to the coronavirus becoming more violent,” said Professor Lior Shapira, European Federation of Periodontology president-elect.

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“Oral care should be part of the health recommendations to reduce the risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes.”

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According to NHS England, mild cases of gum disease can usually be treated by maintaining a good level of oral hygiene and brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly.

You should make an appointment to see your dentist if your gums are painful, swollen, or bleed when you brush your teeth.

The study findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

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