Viruses of the oral cavity: Prevalence, pathobiology and association with oral diseases

Abstract

The human oral cavity contains a plethora of habitats and tissue environments, such as teeth, tongue, and gingiva, which are home to a rich microbial flora including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Given the exposed nature of the mouth, oral tissues constantly encounter infectious agents, forming a complex ecological community. In the past, the discussion of microbiological aspects of oral disease has traditionally focused on bacteria and fungi, but viruses are attracting increasing attention as pathogens in oral inflammatory diseases. Therefore, understanding viral prevalence, pathogenicity, and preference regarding oral tissues is critical to understanding the holistic effects of viruses on oral infections. Recent investigations have demonstrated the abundance of certain viruses in oral inflammatory diseases, suggesting an association between viruses and disease. Human herpesviruses are the most extensively studied viruses in different oral inflammatory diseases. However, challenges in viral detection and the lack of reproducible in vitro and in vivo infection models have limited our progress in understanding viruses and their contribution to oral diseases. This review presents a summary of major mammalian viruses and associated diseases in the human oral cavity. The emergence of a recent pathogen SARS-CoV-2 and its tropism for salivary and periodontal tissues further

Clinical applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in dentistry

“…Furthermore, no side effects were reported in the groups containing aPDT treatment by the participants ( Ramalho et al, 2021 ). Given the promising but scarce evidence concerning the effect of aPDT in the treatment of oral viral infection, it is suggested to conduct more RCTs to investigate the efficiency of this method to treat oral viral conditions associated with viruses such as Epstein–Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpesviruses and herpes zoster and even SARS-CoV-2, in healthy and/or immunocompromised patients ( Patel and Woolley, 2021 ; Thakkar et al, 2022 ).…”

Antimicrobial peptides: Defending the mucosal epithelial barrier

“…Viruses that typically infect oral epithelial tissues include the herpesviruses: Herpes Simplex type 1 (HSV-1), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) [ 100 ]. Antimicrobial peptides appear to mitigate infections by acting directly on herpes simplex type 1 [ 101 – 104 ], SARS-CoV-2 [ 105 ], and KSHV [ 48 ].…”

SARS‐CoV‐2, periodontal pathogens, and host factors: The trinity of oral post‐acute sequelae of COVID‐19

“…These include PD, pulpitis, oral mucositis, xerostomia, sialadenitis, sialiolith, mucositis, vesicular diseases, dysgeusia, verrucous papilloma, various types of leukoplakias, and cancer. 11,22 It is plausible to rationalise that the increasing numbers of breakthrough infections and delayed recovery from repeated exposures from SARS-CoV-2 identified by long COVID-19 symptoms are, in part, driven by additional persistent oral diseases predominantly mediated by dysbiosis. 23,24 Multiple oral ssRNA virus infections-picornavirus, enterovirus, flavivirus, HIV1, SARS-CoV-2, etc.-are associated with periodontitis.…”

“…Viral infections of oral cavity manifest as vesicles, atrophy, or ulceration of oral epithelial mucosa. A list of oral viruses associated with oral pathologies includes human herpesviruses (HHV), human papillomaviruses (HPV), Enteroviruses, Flaviviruses, Paramyxovirus, Retroviridae, Orthomyxoviridae (Myxoviridae), Siphoviridae, Miniviridae, Poxviridae, and Viruses from Archaea (e.g., mobile genetic elements and casposons) 11 . Oral viruses and periopathogens interconnect through mutual targeting of oral epithelial cells, altering symbiosis.…”

“…A list of oral viruses associated with oral pathologies includes human herpesviruses (HHV), human papillomaviruses (HPV), Enteroviruses, Flaviviruses, Paramyxovirus, Retroviridae, Orthomyxoviridae (Myxoviridae), Siphoviridae, Miniviridae, Poxviridae, and Viruses from Archaea (e.g., mobile genetic elements and casposons). 11 Oral viruses and periopathogens interconnect through mutual targeting of oral epithelial cells, altering symbiosis. We contend that these bacterial periopathogens and viruses synergise and promote progressive deterioration of oral mucosa in all oral tissues, buccal mucosa, sublingual mucosa, etc., ultimately suppressing resistance to additional infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19.…”