There isn’t much current literature on orofacial adverse effects after the COVID19 vaccination. However, with the increase in global vaccination campaigns, the incidences will continue to increase inevitably.
The cases presented are of patients who complained of discomfort and pain after the COVID19 vaccination. The symptoms included pain in the palatal area, palatal area of central incisor; mucosa of the lip and gingiva; right posterior lower gingiva, right periocular region, buccal mucosa, tongue, and the right lower second molar. Furthermore, in certain cases, ulceration and swelling of the lower mucosa were common. However, the symptoms were mild with a good response to medication.
Case 1
A 79-year-old male complained of swelling and pain in the right posterior palate area. The symptoms started a day after his first vaccination. He had a past medical history of hypertension and prostatic disease. There were no significant findings to the complaint and systemic fever. Moreover, doctors observed multiple ulcerative lesions with erythema and swelling. They prescribed topical dexamethasone solution, nystatin syrup, and acyclovir ointment. The patient reported no discomfort after a two-week follow-up.
Case 2
An 88-year-old female reported pain on the mucosa of the upper and lower lip in addition to the lower gingiva. The symptoms started three days after her covid vaccination. She had a past medical history of hypertension, recurrent cystitis, lipidemia, and cerebral infarction five years ago. The patient got scaling done by her dentist before visiting the clinic, which improved the symptoms. She described the pain as sharp and aggravating factors were spicy food and contact on the lip area.
Moreover, the duration of the pain was ten minutes per episode and the lower lip was cracked dry due to erythema. Doctors prescribed topical sodium hyaluronate solution and dexamethasone. The level of discomfort had subsided at the one-month follow up, with a decrease in clinical signs.
Conclusion
The majority of the cases reported were over the age of 60 and women. Moreover, oral adverse effects due to the COVID19 vaccine can be managed with treatment. Clinicians should understand the nature of the complications and guide the patients accordingly.
