The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had caused major disruptions in medical and dental care across the world, affecting secondary care services that had to rapidly adapt to new circumstances.… Click to show full abstract
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had caused major disruptions in medical and dental care across the world, affecting secondary care services that had to rapidly adapt to new circumstances. Postponed and delayed oral medicine (OM) care, deferring non-urgent follow-ups in case of patients because of COVID-19 crisis, and limited access to health care, may have lead serious consequences fororal and systemic health (Arduino et al, 2020; Jones et al, 2020). Deferred diagnosis of a malignant conditionwhen suspected or even dysplasia in oralleucoplakia cases vastly implies the clinical outcome, influencing treatment and prognosis, subsequently(Meng et al, 2020).Suspended routine care provision for patients with other, less severe conditions (hyposalivation, oral lichen planus,oral candidiasis, and recurrentaphthous stomatitis - RAS)could have a significant impact on the patients' well-being and quality of life, if oral medicine cases are not managed consistently and timely. Chronic autoimmune disorders with oral manifestations, such asmucous membrane pemphigoid orpemphigus vulgaris,can be exacerbated as a result of delayed OM follow-ups, dental care and self-management or even interruptionof long-term(pharmaco)therapy(Martins-Chaves et al, 2020; Kasperkiewicz et al, 2).
               
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