Development and evaluation of the effectiveness of caries prevention in patients who have had coronavirus infection

AIM of the study is to improve the effectiveness of dental caries prevention by creating new organizational and methodological principles for patients who have had a coronavirus infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS. A single-center, retrospective, non-randomized study was conducted to identify the impact of inflammatory periodontal diseases on the effectiveness of the applied complex of products on the level of oral hygiene and caries reduction in patients who had previously had a coronavirus infection. The study involved 150 patients aged 28 to 56 years, who were divided into 3 groups (50 people in each): the control group (group 1) included patients with inflammatory periodontal diseases who did not have COVID-19, with traditional treatment for inflammatory periodontal diseases under regular monitoring by a periodontist. The comparison group (group 2) included patients with inflammatory periodontal diseases who had recovered from COVID-19 with traditional treatment for inflammatory periodontal diseases under regular supervision of a periodontist. The main group (group 3) included patients with inflammatory periodontal diseases who had recovered from COVID-19 with traditional treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases with regular monitoring by a periodontist and the appointment of additional local (“Fagodent” bacteriophage gel, ROCS PRO Moisturizing toothpaste) and general treatments (“Immunofan”, “Dentobalance”). Research methods: OHI-S, PMA index, SBI index, tooth sensitivity index, deodorizing action index of S.B. Ulitovsky, functional indicators of saliva.

RESULTS. The increase in caries was minimal in the study group. Over 18 months, 1.4 new cases of caries were recorded, compared to the initial indicator of 0 cases. In the control group, an increase of 0 to 3.1 new cases of dental caries was recorded, while in the comparison group, it increased to 4.3 new cases. The effectiveness of the preventive programs was assessed by the reduction in the number of new cases of dental caries in the study groups. The best result was achieved in the study group, where additional interventions to restore normal oral flora and moisturizing components of the hygiene product reduced the incidence of new cases by 67%. In the comparison group, which used standard prophylaxis, the reduction was 28%, with a 39% difference between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS. An individualized prevention program for patients who recovered from COVID-19 reduced the incidence of primary dental caries by 2.21 times compared to a general prevention program not based on restoring normal oral flora.  

1. Belenova I.A., Tikhonovskaya K.S., Morozov A.N., Popova O.B. Analysis of the condition of patients with herpetic manifestations in the mouth against the background of a previous infectious disease (COVID-19). In: Saleev R.A. (ed.) Current Issues in Dentistry: collection of scientific papers dedicated to the founder of the Department of Orthopedic Dentistry at Kazan State Medical University, Professor Isaak Mikhailovich Oksman. Kazan: Kazan State Medical University; 2025, pp. 78–81. (In Russ.)

2. Nasibullina A.Kh., Kabirova M.F., Kabirov I.R., Valishin D.A. Features of dental status of patients with SARS-COV-2. Actual Problems in Dentistry. 2021;17(3):29–34. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18481/2077-7566-21-17-3-29-34

3. Rocha C., Cid-López M.A., Venegas-López B.I., Gómez-Méndez S.C., Sánchez-Ortiz A., Pérez-Ríos A.M. et al. Ivermectin compared with placebo in the clinical course in Mexican patients with asymptomatic and mild COVID-19: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Infect Dis. 2022;22(1):917. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-022-07890-6

4. Belenova I.A., Tikhonovskaya K.S., Popova O.B., Azarova O.A., Bulkadarova A.K. Features of the course of herpetic stomatitis is due to past infectious disease (COVID-19). In: Kerimov Sh.A. (ed.) Theoretical and practical issues of clinical dentistry: Proceedings of the All-Russian scientific and practical conference, St Petersburg, October 9–10, 2024. Saint Petersburg: Kirov Military Medical Academy; 2024, pp. 6–7. (In Russ.)

5. Belenova I.A., Khryachkov V.I., Popova O.B., Solovyova A.L., Belenova M.S., Bulkadarova A.K. Manifestations of dental pathology: correlation with the severity of the course of infection caused by COVID-19, long-term results. Applied Information Aspects of Medicine. 2024;27(1):63–68. (In Russ.) Available at: https://new.vestnik-surgery.com/index.php/2070-9277/article/view/9926 (accessed: 27.02.2026).

6. Makedonova Y.A., Poroisky S.V., Gavrikova L.M., Afanaseva O.Y. Manifestation of the oral mucosa diseases in patients with COVID-19. Journal of Volgograd State Medical University. 2021;18(1):110–115. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.19163/1994-9480-2021-1(77)-110-115

7. Selina S.V., Smazhko O.A., Makeeva A.V., Lidokhova O.V., Popova O.B. Clinical features and diagnostics of xerostomia taking into account etiopathogenetic variability. In: Starchikova N.E. (ed.) Student Scientific Forum: Proceedings of the International Student Scientific Conference, Moscow, October 20, 2022 – March 15, 2023. Moscow: Eurasian Scientific and Industrial Chamber; 2023. Vol. 15, pp. 45–46. (In Russ.)

8. Gileva O.S., Libik T.V., Gibadullina N.V., Sivak E.Yu., Gavrilenko M.S., Beleva N.S., Zadorina I.I. Key dental challenges during COVID-19 pandemic: oral health monitoring in patients with chronic oral mucosal diseases. Stomatology. 2021;100(6-2):8–15. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17116/stomat20211000628

9. Modina T.N., Zinecker D.T., Kharitonova M.A., Mahdi M.M.M., Mamaeva E.V., Usmanova I.I. Oral viral load of SARS-COV-2 and exacerbation of chronic periodontal disease in patients with novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Actual Problems in Dentistry. 2021;17(1):70–75. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.18481/2077-7566-20-17-1-70-75

10. Baig A.M., Khaleeq A., Ali U., Syeda H. Evidence of the COVID-19 virus targeting the CNS: tissue distribution, host-virus interaction, and proposed neurotropic mechanisms. ACS Chem Neurosci. 2020;11(7):995–998. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00122

11. Iranmanesh B., Khalili M., Amiri R., Zartab H., Aflatoonian M. Oral manifestations of COVID-19 disease: A review article. Dermatol Ther. 2021;34(1):e14578. https://doi.org/10.1111/dth.14578

12. Sсherbak S.G., Sarana A.M., Vologzhanin D.A., Kamilova T.A., Golota A.S., Makarenko S.V. Immunology of post-COVID syndrome. Russian Medicine. 2023;29(1):43–58. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17816/medjrf133829

13. Amorim Dos Santos J., Normando A.G.C., Carvalho da Silva R.L., Acevedo A.C., De Luca Canto G., Sugaya N. Oral manifestations in patients with COVID-19: A living systematic review. J Dent Res. 2021;100(2):141–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034520957289

14. Bhujel N., Zaheer K., Singh R.P. Oral mucosal lesions in patients with COVID-19: a systematic review. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021;59(9):1024–1030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjoms.2021.06.011

15. Guo Y., Yuan C., Wei C. Emergency measures for acute oral mucosa diseases during the outbreak of COVID-19. Oral Dis. 2021;27(S3):737–739. https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.13350

16. Belenova I.A., Khryachkov V.I., Popova O.B., Belenova M.S., Moiseeva A.A. Predictive diagnostics of COVID-19 in patients with oral manifestations. In: Saleev R.A. (ed.) Current Issues in Dentistry: collection of scientific papers dedicated to the founder of the Department of Orthopedic Dentistry at Kazan State Medical University, Professor Isaak Mikhailovich Oksman, Kazan, March 13, 2024. Kazan: Kazan State Medical University; 2024, pp. 159–163. (In Russ.)

17. Belenova I.A., Khryachkov V.I., Popova O.B., Koretskaya I.V., Rusanova T.A., But L.V., Selina S.V. Predictive diagnosis of coronavirus infection COVID-19 at a dental appointment. The Dental Institute. 2024;(1):74–76. (In Russ.) Available at: https://instom.spb.ru/catalog/article/19655/ (accessed: 27.02.2026).

18. Belenova I.A., Popova O.B., Khryachkov V.I. Predictive diagnostics as an important tool in identifying patients with COVID-19. In: Tsimbalistov A.V., Kapranova V.V. (eds) Dentistry of the Slavic States: Proceedings of the 16 th International Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the 75 th anniversary of the Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor A.V. Tsymbalistov, Belgorod, November 8–10, 2023. Belgorod: Belgorod State University; 2023, pp. 74–76. (In Russ.)

19. Belenova I.A., Popova O.B., Azarova O.A., Belenova M.S., Sagova D.S. Predictive diagnostics of infectious diseases with manifestations in the oral cavity. Bulletin of Scientific Conferences. 2023;(9-2):10–12. (In Russ.)

20. Oleinik O.I., Kalugina Y.V., Vusataya E.V., Popova O.B., Alferova E.A. Improving the prevention of dental caries and periodontal diseases by personalized selection of hygiene products (literature review). In: Ivanovskaya I.I., Posnova M.V. (eds) Best Research Paper 2022: Collection of articles from the 4 th International Scientific Research Competition, Petrozavodsk, December 25, 2022. Petrozavodsk: Novaya nauka; 2022, pp. 138–148. (In Russ.)

21. Peng X., Xu X., Li Y., Cheng L., Zhou X., Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci. 2020;12(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9