While Ms. Khemili had become more diligent about her dental care, she had a history of dental issues before contracting the coronavirus. When she went to the dentist the day after her tooth came out, he found that her gums were not infected but she had significant bone loss from smoking. He referred Ms. Khemili to a specialist to handle a reconstruction. The dental procedure is likely to cost her just shy of $50,000.
The same day Ms. Khemili’s tooth fell out, her partner went on Survivor Corp, a Facebook page for people who have lived through Covid-19. There, he found that Diana Berrent, the page’s founder, was reporting that her 12-year-old son had lost one of his adult teeth, months after he had a mild case of Covid-19. (Unlike Ms. Khemili, Ms. Berrent’s son had normal and healthy teeth with no underlying disease, according to his orthodontist.)
Others in the Facebook group have posted about teeth falling out without bleeding. One woman lost a tooth while eating ice cream. Eileen Luciano of Edison, N.J., had a top molar pop out in early November when she was flossing.
“That was the last thing that I thought would happen, that my teeth would fall out,” Ms. Luciano said.
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Teeth falling out without any blood is unusual, Dr. Li said, and provides a clue that there might be something going on with the blood vessels in the gums.
The new coronavirus wreaks havoc by binding to the ACE2 protein, which is ubiquitous in the human body. Not only is it found in the lungs, but also on nerve and endothelial cells. Therefore, Dr. Li says, it’s possible that the virus has damaged the blood vessels that keep the teeth alive in Covid-19 survivors; that also may explain why those who have lost their teeth feel no pain.
It’s also possible that the widespread immune response, known as a cytokine storm, may be manifesting in the mouth.
