背景与目的:味觉和嗅觉紊乱是COVID-19感染的常见症状。目前的文献忽视了味觉症状,倾向于关注嗅觉。味觉功能障碍的持续病例(>28天)越来越被认为是未来的主要医疗保健挑战。这项研究的重点是COVID-19引起的味觉丧失的严重程度和恢复以及与嗅觉症状的关系,生活方式和口腔健康因素。材料和方法:本研究是一项横断面调查,比较了182名快速味觉恢复参与者(≤28天)和47名味觉恢复时间>28天的参与者。与嗅觉损失相关的味觉损失分析,年龄,性别,疾病严重程度,饮食,BMI,补充维生素D,抗抑郁药,酒精使用,吸烟,刷牙频率,使用牙线,缺失的牙齿,进行了矫治器和牙科修复的数量。酸损失的严重程度不同,甜,盐,探索了苦味和鲜味。结果:味觉和嗅觉丧失的严重程度和持续时间密切相关(p<0.001)。盐味的影响显著小于所有其他味道品质(p<0.001)。持续的味觉丧失与年龄增长有关(平均±95%CI=31.73±1.23岁与36.66±3.59年,p<0.001)和使用牙线的可能性降低(比值比±95%CI=2.22(1.15−4.25),p=0.047)。结论:COVID-19的气味和味道损失密切相关,尽管少数人在没有其他人的情况下可能会经历味觉或嗅觉障碍。与其他味道品质相比,盐的味道可能受到的影响较小,并且指出了客观探索这一发现的未来工作。牙线与快速味觉恢复的关联增加了越来越多的证据,表明良好的牙周健康与良好的COVID-19结局之间存在联系。
Background and Objectives: Disruption to taste and smell are common symptoms of COVID-19 infection. The current literature overlooks taste symptoms and tends to focus on the sense of smell. Persisting cases (>28 days) of taste dysfunction are increasingly recognised as a major future healthcare challenge. This study focuses on the severity and recovery of COVID-19 induced taste loss and association with olfactory symptoms, lifestyle and oral health factors. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional survey comparing 182 rapid taste recovery participants (≤28 days) with 47 participants with prolonged taste recovery >28 days. Analyses of taste loss in association with smell loss, age, sex, illness severity, diet, BMI, vitamin-D supplementation, antidepressants, alcohol use, smoking, brushing frequency, flossing, missing teeth, appliances and number of dental restorations were conducted. Differences in the severity of the loss of sour, sweet, salt, bitter and umami tastes were explored. Results: Both the severity and the duration of taste and smell loss were closely correlated (p < 0.001). Salt taste was significantly less affected than all other taste qualities (p < 0.001). Persisting taste loss was associated with older age (mean ± 95% CI = 31.73 ± 1.23 years vs. 36.66 ± 3.59 years, p < 0.001) and reduced likelihood of using floss (odds ratio ± 95% CI = 2.22 (1.15−4.25), p = 0.047). Conclusions: Smell and taste loss in COVID-19 are closely related, although a minority of individuals can experience taste or smell dysfunction in the absence of the other. The taste of salt may be less severely affected than other taste qualities and future work exploring this finding objectively is indicated. The association of flossing with rapid taste recovery adds to the growing evidence of a link between good periodontal health and favourable COVID-19 outcomes.