If you notice this in your mouth, you could have COVID, experts warn

Your body can tell you a lot about your health, especially when it comes to coronavirus, which can affect many different parts of your body. COVID can cause symptoms in your eyes, feet, hands, and even your mouth. Believe it or not, looking at your mouth could help you find out that you have been infected with the virus. According to experts, if you notice any of these four symptoms in your mouth, you could have COVID. Read on to learn more about the telltale signs, for more symptoms you should know about.If this part of your body hurts, you could have COVID.

1

A white tongue

A change in the appearance of the tongue is one of the most recent mouth-related symptoms reported. Tim spector, PhD, epidemiologist and principal investigator for the ZOE COVID Symptom Study app, tweeted a photo of a patient with white tongue which looks like a condition called geographic tongue. Spector indicated that this “COVID language” may be one of the “less common symptoms” experienced by patients who are not on official public health lists.

According to the Mayo Clinic, geographic tongue is an inflammatory condition, which may indicate its relationship to the coronavirus. An August 2020 study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases said that when cells with ACE2 receptors are infected with the virus, it can cause inflammatory reactions in related organs and tissues, such as the tongue. And for more common coronavirus symptoms, find out the “strongest, most consistent” sign you have COVID, study finds.

2

Rashes and ulcers

Rashes have been widely documented as a symptom of coronavirus, but you can also experience a mouth rash. According to WebMD, a Spanish study published in the journal JAMA Dermatology was the first to identify this symptom, called enanthema, which presents as a rash or ulcers in the mouth. In the study, the enanthema generally appeared between two days before the onset of other symptoms of the coronavirus and 24 days after.

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Michele green, MD, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told WebMD that the enanthem is not a surprising symptom of the coronavirus, given its occurrence in other infections. “It is very common in patients with viral infections like chickenpox and foot-and-mouth disease. It is characteristic of many viral rashes to affect the mucous membranes,” she explained. And for more information on coronaviruses, Dr Fauci has just issued this stern warning about the British COVID strain.

3

Metallic taste

A December 2020 study published in the Clinical practice in neurology found that 62.4% of coronavirus cases exhibited symptoms of dysgeusia, which is a distortion of the sense of taste. And while many people know that loss of taste is a symptom of coronavirus, they may not realize that it might first appear as a metallic taste in their mouth. Robert korn, MD, an emergency doctor in New York City, told Refinery29 that a metallic taste in the mouth could just be “an altered taste on the verge of losing sensation altogether.” And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

4

Drought

A September 2020 study in the Ears, nose and throat journal concluded that dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, should be considered a symptom of the coronavirus. The researchers noted that various studies had determined that the salivary glands had the highest existence of ACE2 receptors in cells – and these receptors are what allows the virus to enter someone’s body. Since the reduced or absent saliva flow can be caused by infections and inflammation of viral origin, the researchers concluded that dry mouth could result from a COVID infection. And to learn how to better protect yourself from the virus, doing this to your mask could protect you even more from COVID, experts say.