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Effects of post-COVID-19 vaccination in oral cavity: a systematic review

Evidence-Based Dentistry (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants continue to be on a rampage worldwide. Several vaccines are being marketed to control their spread and reduce severity of symptoms in the affected. Various adverse events are being reported following the vaccine administration and therefore this systematic review investigated the oral adverse events post-COVID-19 vaccination.

Materials and methods

A systematic search of five databases was conducted. Case reports, case series and observational studies describing oral lesions/oral adverse effects (outcome) following anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (exposure) in humans were included. Quality assessment of the studies was done using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. A working classification was developed from reported final diagnosis.

Results

The systematic review included 18 individual cases. Majority of oral lesions occurred following BNT162b2 vaccination with average age of occurrence at 59.94 years. 67% of the affected individuals were female, with hypertension being the most common comorbidity.

Discussion

Immune-mediated oral events have a propensity of occurrence following COVID-19 vaccination. mRNA-based vaccinations may have an affinity for causing oral adverse effects. It might be due to the immune dysregulation caused by these vaccinations.

Conclusion

The female, geriatric population and older individuals with co-morbidities might have an increased affinity to develop oral lesions post-COVID-19 vaccination.

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Data availability

The data is available on request to corresponding author.

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Funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, India

    Anubhuti Sood & Sreevatsan Raghavan

  2. Division of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India

    Deepika Mishra

  3. Department of Public Health Dentistry, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India

    Harsh Priya

Authors
  1. Anubhuti Sood
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  3. Deepika Mishra
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  4. Harsh Priya
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Contributions

Conceptualization: [Anubhuti Sood]; Methodology: [Anubhuti Sood and Harsh Priya]; Formal analysis and investigation: [Anubhuti Sood, Harsh Priya, Sreevatsan Raghavan and Deepika Mishra]; Writing—original draft preparation: [Anubhuti Sood]; Writing—review and editing: [Sreevatsan Raghavan, Harsh Priya and Deepika Mishra]; Supervision: [Harsh Priya and Deepika Mishra].

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Correspondence to Harsh Priya.

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Sood, A., Raghavan, S., Mishra, D. et al. Effects of post-COVID-19 vaccination in oral cavity: a systematic review. Evid Based Dent (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-024-01014-6

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