Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry

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VOLUME 16 , ISSUE 1 ( January-April, 2022 ) > List of Articles

CASE REPORT

Periodontal Abscess—A Common Lesion with an Uncommon Presentation of Maxillary Mucormycosis: A Case Report

Shiphalika Sinha, Harsha Ponnaluri, Swati Setty

Keywords : Mucormycosis, Oral manifestations, Periodontal abscesses, Periodontitis, SARS-CoV-2

Citation Information : Sinha S, Ponnaluri H, Setty S. Periodontal Abscess—A Common Lesion with an Uncommon Presentation of Maxillary Mucormycosis: A Case Report. J Oral Health Comm Dent 2022; 16 (1):67-71.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10062-0127

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 27-04-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Aim: To present a case of mucormycosis of the maxilla which mimics a periodontal abscess in its clinical presentation. Background: As mankind continues to battle with the pandemic of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) which is still on the rise, the issue of post-COVID-19 complications has emerged as a significant problem majorly during the deadly second wave of the dreadful virus. The complications can be associated with a wide range of bacterial and fungal coinfections. One of the primary reasons attributed to the coinfections is the use of corticosteroids and other adjunctive therapies to arrest any possibility of cytokine storm syndrome that may occur in critically ill patients. One such deadly post-COVID-19 complication which is now being reported frequently is mucormycosis. It is an aggressive opportunistic fungal infection known to be associated with a poor prognosis if not diagnosed and treated on time. Case description: A case of mucormycosis of the maxilla in a 52-year-old man who reported to our outpatient department with multiple abscesses on the labial and buccal aspects of maxillary gingiva accompanied with hyperglycemia secondary to uncontrolled diabetes with a history of a COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: During this pandemic that we are dealing with, it becomes extremely important to keep a close watch on the post-COVID-19 complications in order to reduce any further discomfort to patients. Any COVID-19 recovered patient who visits a dental practitioner in the first 4–5 months post-recovery with unexplained pain in the teeth, mobile teeth, or multiple abscesses is suspected to have mucormycosis. Clinical significance: Dentists, especially periodontists, are going to play a key role and be the first window in the early diagnosis of this disease.


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