Kevin Matthew Byrd, DDS, PhD, was recently given the World Perio Research Award for his work exploring the link between COVID-19 and oral health.
The World Perio Research Award is given every three years by the Sunstar Foundation, a Japanese nonprofit that promotes the understanding of the link between oral and general health.
Dr. Byrd, an assistant professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, and his team of researchers confirmed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can infect cells in the salivary glands and tissues of the mouth. The team also discovered new cell types in the glands and gums, according to a June 20 news release.
The team published the findings in March 2021.
