Evaluation of Oral Health Habits and Gingival Conditions after Covid-19 Lockdown
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v3i2.166Keywords:
COVID-19, Oral Health, Gingivitis, Oral Hygiene Practices, Dental Care, PandemicAbstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on various aspects of health and healthcare practices, including oral health. With changes in daily routines and access to dental care services during lockdowns, there has been concern about the potential decline in oral hygiene and an increase in dental issues.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate oral health habits and the gingival condition of patients visiting a tertiary care dental hospital in the southern region of Sindh province after the COVID-19 lockdown.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bibi Aseefa Dental College, Larkana, from January 20, 2021, to July 20, 2021. Ethical approval was obtained, and participants gave written informed consent. A total of 278 patients were sampled using a convenience sampling method. The inclusion criteria were patients of both genders, above the age of 7, with permanent teeth. Exclusion criteria included lack of consent and cases with jaw fractures or limited mouth opening. Data collection involved clinical examinations using a dental mirror and probe, and oral health practices were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.
Results: The study comprised 57.2% male and 42.8% female participants, with a mean age of 30.67 ± 10.31 years. An 81% adherence to daily tooth brushing was noted, while only 9% of participants used dental floss. The use of medicated toothpaste was reported by 18% of the participants. The prevalence of gingivitis was found to be 48%, with a significant relationship between gender and gingivitis severity (p=0.009).
Conclusion: Oral hygiene practices during the lockdown were found to be inadequate, with a substantial prevalence of gingivitis among the study population. The study emphasizes the need for improved oral hygiene practices, including regular brushing and flossing, and suggests public health initiatives to promote oral health awareness.
Downloads
References
WHO. Director-General’s Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19. 2020. Available online: https://www.who.int/ dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19
Brondani, B.; Knorst, J.K.; Tomazoni, F.; Cósta, M.; Vargas, A.W.; Noronha, T.G.; Mendes, F.M.; Ardenghi, T.M. Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on behavioral and psychosocial factors related to oral health in adolescents: A cohort study. Int. J. Paediatr. Dent. 2021, 31, 539–546.
Fux-Noy, A.; Mattar, L.; Shmueli, A.; Halperson, E.; Ram, D.; Moskovitz, M. Oral Health Care Delivery for Children during COVID-19 Pandemic—A Retrospective Study. Front. Public Health 2021, 9, 637351.
González-Olmo, M.J.; Delgado-Ramos, B.; Ruiz-Guillén, A.; Romero-Maroto, M.; Carrillo-Díaz, M. Oral hygiene habits and possible transmission of COVID-19 among cohabitants. BMC Oral Health 2020, 20, 286.
Goswami, M.; Grewal, M.; Garg, A. Attitude and practices of parents toward their children’s oral health care during COVID-19 pandemic. J. Indian Soc. Pedod. Prev. Dent. 2021, 39, 22–28.
Campagnaro, R.; Collet, G.; Andrade, M.; Salles, J.; Fracasso, M.; Scheffel, D.; Freitas, K.; Santin, G. COVID-19 pandemic and pediatric dentistry: Fear, eating habits and parent’s oral health perceptions. Child Youth Serv. Rev. 2020, 118, 105469. [CrossRef]
Meng L, Hua F, Bian Z. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): emerging and future challenges for dental and oral medicine. J Dent Res. 2020;99(5):481-487.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19: Guidance for dental settings. Accessed December 4, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/201 9-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.htm
Sama BK, Kaur P, Thind PS, Verma MK, Kaur M, Singh DD. Implications of COVID-19-induced nationwide lockdown on children’s behavior in Punjab, India. Child Care Health Dev. 2021;47(1):128-135.
Dörfer C, Benz C, Aida J, Campard G. The relationship of oral health with general health and NCDs: a brief review. Int Dent J 2017; 67 (Suppl 2): 14-8.
Kanjirath PP, Kim SE, Rohr Inglehart M. Diabetes and oral health: the importance of oral health-related behavior. J Dent Hyg 2011; 85: 264-72.
Patrick DL, Lee RS, Nucci M, Grembowski D, Jolles CZ, Milgrom P. Reducing oral health disparities: a focus on social and cultural determinants. BMC Oral Health 2006; 6(Suppl 1): S4
Gondivkar SM, Gadbail AR, Gondivkar RS, Sarode SC, Sarode GS, Patil S, et al. Nutrition and oral health. Dis Mon 2019; 65: 147‐54.
Choo A, Delac DM, Messer LB. Oral hygiene measures and promotion: review and considerations. Aust Dent J 2001; 46: 166-73.
Lang NP, Cumming BR, Löe H. Toothbrushing frequency as it relates to plaque development and gingival health. J Periodontol 1973; 44: 396-405.
Agnihotri R, Gaur S. Implications of tobacco smoking on the oral health of older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 526-40.
Vardavas CI, Nikitara K. COVID-19 and smoking: A systematic review of the evidence. Tob Induc Dis 2020; 18: 20
Hopcraft, M.; Farmer, G. Impact of COVID-19 on the provision of paediatric dental care: Analysis of the Australian Child Dental Benefits Schedule. Community Dent. Oral Epidemiol. 2021, 49, 369–376.
19.Guo H, Zhou Y, Liu X, Tan J. The impact of the covid-19 epidemic on the utilization of dental emergency services. J Dent Sci 2020;15:564-567.
Hartnet KP, Kite-powel A, Devies-J, Colleta MA, Bohemer TK, Adjemian J, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emergency department visits- Uinted States, January 1, 2019-May 30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:699-704.
Blumer, S.; Dagon, N.; Peretz, B.; Ratson, T.; Kharouba, J. Function of the Family Unit, Oral Hygiene Rules and Attitudes to Dental Health in Children During First-Wave 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown. J. Clin. Pediatr. Dent. 2021, 45, 1–7. [CrossRef]
Philippe, K.; Chabanet, C.; Issanchou, S.; Monnery-Patris, S. Child eating behaviors, parental feeding practices and food shopping motivations during the COVID-19 lockdown in France: (How) did they change? Appetite 2021, 161, 105132. [CrossRef
Di Renzo, L.; Gualtieri, P.; Pivari, F.; Soldati, L.; Attinà, A.; Cinelli, G.; Leggeri, C.; Caparello, G.; Barrea, L.; Scerbo, F.; et al. Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: An Italian survey. J. Transl. Med. 2020, 18, 229. [CrossRef]
Ko¨nig KG, Navia JM. Nutritional role of sugars in oral health. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 1995; 62(1):275–82. 7.
Gherunpong S, Tsakos G, Sheiham A. The prevalence and severity of oral impacts on daily performances in Thai primary school children. Health and quality of life outcomes. 2004; 2(1):57.
United Nations. 2020. Shared responsibility, global solidarity: responding to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19. Available from: https:// www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/fles/sg_report_socio-economic_impact_ of_covid19.pdf. Accessed June 2020.
Wang D, Hu B, Hu C, Zhu F, Liu X, Zhang J, et al. Clinical characteristics of 138 hospitalized patients with 2019 novel coronavirus-infected pneumonia in Wuhan, China. JAMA. 2020;323(11):1061–9.
Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, Tan Y, Xu L, Ho CS, et al. Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(5):1729.
Ca˘ ra˘ mida˘ M, Dumitrache MA, T´ âncu AMC, Ilici RR, Ilinca R, Sfeatcu R. Oral Habits during the Lockdown from the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in the Romanian Population. Medicina. 2022;58(3):387.
Gotler M, Oren L, Spierer S, Yarom N, Ashkenazi M. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on maintenance of children’s dental health: A questionnaire-based survey. The J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(5):440-49.
Carrel AL, Clark RR, Peterson S, Eickhoff J, Allen DB. School-based fitness changes are lost during the summer vacation. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(6):561-64.
Keles ZH, Sancakli HS. Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and behaviour on oral health through COVID-19 pandemic.
Costa AL, Pereira JL, Franco L, Guinot F. COVID-19 lockdown: impact on oral health-related behaviors and practices of Portuguese and Spanish children. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Nov 30;19(23):16004.
Zhang S, Liu C, Zhang C, Jiang H, Tai B, Du M. Impact of COVID-19 on the oral health of adults in Wuhan and China: results of a nationwide online cross-sectional questionnaire survey. BMC Oral Health. 2021 Dec;21:1-7.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Shaista parveen, Sandeep kumar, Abdul Bari Memon, Permanand, Shazia Shakeel , Sunny, Pinki, Lovekesh Kumar
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Public Licensing Terms
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Under this license:
- You are free to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) for any purpose, including commercial use.
- Attribution must be given to the original author(s) and source in a manner that is reasonable and does not imply endorsement.
- No additional restrictions may be applied that conflict with the terms of this license.
For more details, visit: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
