Saliva: Its Role in Covid-19 Diagnosis and Preventive Measures

Khatija Memon; Vivek Hegde; Hussain Mookhtiar; Mohsin Shaikh; Rahul Koppaka

doi:10.36437/ijdrd.2021.3.1.L

Khatija Memon Post Graduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, M.A. Rangoonwala College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Vivek Hegde Professor and H.O.D, Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, M.A. Rangoonwala College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Hussain Mookhtiar Post Graduate Student, Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, M.A. Rangoonwala College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Mohsin Shaikh Post Graduate Student, Department of Prosthodontics, Crown and Bridge, M.A. Rangoonwala College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Rahul Koppaka Under-Graduate Student, M.A. Rangoonwala College of Dental Science and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36437/ijdrd.2021.3.1.L

Keywords: Saliva, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Diagnosis, Prevention.

Abstract

The oral cavity is a moist fluid environment due to the presence of saliva. Saliva has a vast variety of roles in the oral cavity, it also contains a variety of biomarkers, micro-organisms, and enzymes which can be used as diagnostic tools for the detection of diseases in the body. Most of the dental procedures are directly or indirectly related to saliva and aerosol generation. There have been many researches which proves that saliva has a vast role in the virulence and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, the aim of this review was to evaluate the role of saliva as a diagnostic tool and the measures for the prevention of transmission of SARS-CoV-2.