Odontólogo, Especialista en Cirugía Bucal. Profesor Titular de la Cátedra de Anestesiología y Cirugía Estomatológica, Departamento de Medicina Oral, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida – Venezuela.

Abstract

The COVID-19 was first reported in China at late December 2019 and was listed as a pandemic on March 19, 2020 by the WHO. The virus protein S, which mediates the entry and fusion process, has been reported to require ACE-2, the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 as an anchoring receptor. ACE-2 is expressed in oral and gingival tissue, epithelial cells and fibroblast in the oral mucosa, making it a high-risk factor for infectious virus susceptibility. On the other hands, the importance of saliva has been reported for its role as a vehicle for the transmission of viral particles, which allows it to be considered as an instrument of potential diagnostic value in the detection of COVID-19. To know the etiology of SARS-CoV-2 and its impact at the oral level, as well as to recognize and execute biosecurity measures for the management of patients in dental clinical practice is the fundamental object of this review, for this reason, a retrospective cross-sectional study with electronic search was carried out through NCBI, Virtual Health Library, Scielo, LILACS and Redalyc. The reports given by the WHO, CDC and Ministries of Health in Latin America are analyzed. The dissemination of information and the adaptation of knowledge in time of pandemic by COVID-19, will protect the health conditions of both, dentist and patient, which is why it is necessary to put biosafety protocols into practice and constantly update them regarding to health care at the clinical and hospital level.