Oral manifestation of COVID 19 and photodynamic therapy for SARSCoV-2 infection

SARS-CoV-2 infection does not only afect the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems as was hypothesized un months ago, but manifestations can occur at diferent levels as well as in the oral district. he most well-known oral til a few manifestation of COVID 19 is the alteration of taste, but in reality many other lesions on the mucous membranes have been described in the scientiic literature, such as oral ulcers, migratory glossitis, tongue papillitis, opportunistic infections, erythema multiform like and Kawasaki disease like lesions, and so on. he role of the oral doctor in recognizing these, oten asymptomatic, lesions is important in intercepting positive patients and reducing the spread of the virus. Several papers on the eicacy of photodynamic therapy in SARS-CoV-2 infection have been published. his treatment is given by the interaction of a photosensitizer, which selectively adheres to bacterial, fungal or viral cells, a light that activates it at a speciic wavelength for each photosensitizer, and the presence of oxygen. Diferent types of photosensitizers are proposed against this novel coronavirus such as Methylene Blue and Curcumin, and also diferent wavelengths and times of illuminations. Photodynamic therapy is a non-invasive treatment and is free of side efects and could represent a valid aid in the management of the oral manifestations of COVID 19