Saliva is a potential source of Covid-19, and appropriate protection measures should be applied in dental practice

Schwendicke, Falk

Data sources Non-systematically compiled data. Study selection No formal in- or exclusion criteria. Data extraction and synthesis Not described; narrative synthesis. Results SARS-CoV-2 is near ubiquitously present in saliva samples of infected individuals; the saliva is hence a potential source for infection for both dental professionals and dental patients given possible transmission routes involving saliva-containing aerosol, splatter or droplets for COVID-19. Conclusions Dental professionals should be aware of that transmission route and should undertake protective measures accordingly.