CC BY 4.0 · Eur J Dent 2022; 16(02): 333-338
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1734470
Original Article

COVID-19: The Patients' Perceived Impact on Dental Care

Alessandra Amato
1   Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
,
Alfredo Iandolo
1   Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
,
Giuseppe Scelza
1   Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
,
Francesca Spirito
1   Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
,
Stefano Martina
1   Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, Scuola Medica Salernitana University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
› Institutsangaben
Funding None.

Abstract

Objectives The present study aims to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's mental and physical balance, oral hygiene habits, type of diet, perceived safety of returning to the dentist, and aesthetics with the use of masks.

Materials and Methods An online questionnaire was submitted to the Italian population between December 2020 and January 2021. It was sent via online platforms and included 21 questions.

Statistical Analysis Differences in rates were calculated by using the Chi-square test. The level of significance was set at p <0.05.

Results A total of 1,008 individuals completed the questionnaire. About 72% of participants were not concerned about returning to the dentist. Approximately 45% of the individuals intensified their oral hygiene and preventive rules. About 38% of participants increased their carbohydrate intake, while 28% increased their fat consumption. Furthermore, 75% of the participants felt that the mask did not diminish the beauty of their smile.

Conclusions Most participants felt comfortable returning to the dentist but only for more urgent treatment. However, most people reported that they had not stepped up their home oral hygiene measures. The biggest changes in the population's eating habits involved increased carbohydrate and fat consumption. Finally, most participants responded that mask use did not compromise their aesthetics.



Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
16. November 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India

 
  • References

  • 1 Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W. et al. China Novel Coronavirus Investigating and Research Team. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med 2020; 382 (08) 727-733
  • 2 Sohrabi C, Alsafi Z, O'Neill N. et al. World Health Organization declares global emergency: a review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19. [published correction appears in Int J Surg. 2020 May;77:217] Int J Surg 2020; 76: 71-76
  • 3 Coronaviridae Study Group of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus: classifying 2019-nCoV and naming it SARS-CoV-2. Nat Microbiol 2020; 5 (04) 536-544
  • 4 Cascella M, Rajnik M, Aleem A, Dulebohn SC, Di Napoli R. Features, evaluation, and treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19). In: StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; April 20, 2021
  • 5 Issakhov A, Zhandaulet Y, Omarova P, Alimbek A, Borsikbayeva A, Mustafayeva A. A numerical assessment of social distancing of preventing airborne transmission of COVID-19 during different breathing and coughing processes. Sci Rep 2021; 11 (01) 9412
  • 6 Indicazioni Operative Per L'Attività Odontoiatrica Durante La Fase 2 Della Pandemia COVID-19. 2020 . Accessed 30 May 2020 at: http://www.salute.gov.it/imgs/C_17_pubblicazioni_2917_allegat.pdf
  • 7 Prezioso C, Pietropaolo V. COVID-19: update of the Italian situation. J Neurovirol 2020; 26 (06) 834-837
  • 8 Paroni L, D'Apice C, Ussai S. et al. The traffic light approach: indicators and algorithms to identify COVID-19 epidemic risk across Italian regions. Front Public Health 2021; 9: 650243
  • 9 Ganesan B, Al-Jumaily A, Fong KN, Prasad P, Meena SK, Tong RK. Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak quarantine, isolation, and lockdown policies on mental health and suicide. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12: 565190
  • 10 Gunnell D, Appleby L, Arensman E. et al. COVID-19 Suicide Prevention Research Collaboration. Suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7 (06) 468-471
  • 11 Farook FF, Mohamed Nuzaim MN, Taha Ababneh K, Alshammari A, Alkadi L. COVID-19 pandemic: oral health challenges and recommendations. Eur J Dent 2020; 14 (S 01) S165-S170
  • 12 World Health Organisation. Food and nutrition during self-quarantine: what to choose and how to eat healthily. Available at: https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/nutrition/news/news/2020/3/food-andnutrition-during-self-quarantine-what-to-choose-and-how-to-eat-healthily. Accessed January 18, 2021
  • 13 Nicola M, Alsafi Z, Sohrabi C. et al. The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): a review. Int J Surg 2020; 78: 185-193
  • 14 Di Renzo L, Gualtieri P, Pivari F. et al. Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: an Italian survey. J Transl Med 2020; 18 (01) 229
  • 15 Ma Y, Ratnasabapathy R, Gardiner J. Carbohydrate craving: not everything is sweet. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2017; 20 (04) 261-265
  • 16 Didinger C, Thompson H. Motivating pulse-centric eating patterns to benefit human and environmental well-being. Nutrients 2020; 12 (11) 3500
  • 17 Ammar A, Brach M, Trabelsi K. et al. Effects of COVID-19 home confinement on eating behaviour and physical activity: results of the ECLB-COVID19 International Online Survey. Nutrients 2020; 12 (06) x
  • 18 Martina S, Amato A, Faccioni P, Iandolo A, Amato M, Rongo R. The perception of COVID-19 among Italian dental patients: an orthodontic point of view. Prog Orthod 2021; 22 (01) 11
  • 19 Amato A, Ciacci C, Martina S, Caggiano M, Amato M. COVID-19: the dentists' perceived impact on the dental practice. Eur J Dent 2021
  • 20 Umeizudike KA, Ayanbadejo PO, Omidiran DO. et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial wellbeing of dental therapists in Nigeria. Niger J Med 2021; 30: 160-166
  • 21 Martina S, Amato A, Rongo R, Caggiano M, Amato M. The perception of COVID-19 among Italian dentists: an orthodontic point of view. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17 (12) 4384
  • 22 González-Olmo MJ, Delgado-Ramos B, Ortega-Martínez AR, Romero-Maroto M, Carrillo-Díaz M. Fear of COVID-19 in Madrid. Will patients avoid dental care?. Int Dent J 2021; S0020-6539(21)00032-0 DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2021.01.013.
  • 23 González-Olmo MJ, Ortega-Martínez AR, Delgado-Ramos B, Romero-Maroto M, Carrillo-Diaz M. Perceived vulnerability to coronavirus infection: impact on dental practice. Braz Oral Res 2020; 34: e044
  • 24 Cotrin P, Peloso RM, Oliveira RC. et al. Impact of coronavirus pandemic in appointments and anxiety/concerns of patients regarding orthodontic treatment. Orthod Craniofac Res 2020; 23 (04) 455-461
  • 25 Peloso RM, Pini NIP, Sundfeld Neto D. et al. How does the quarantine resulting from COVID-19 impact dental appointments and patient anxiety levels?. Braz Oral Res 2020; 34: e84
  • 26 Pinzan-Vercelino CR, Freitas KM, Girão VM, da Silva DO, Peloso RM, Pinzan A. Does the use of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic impact on oral hygiene habits, oral conditions, reasons to seek dental care and esthetic concerns?. J Clin Exp Dent 2021; 13 (04) e369-e375
  • 27 Robertson M, Duffy F, Newman E, Prieto Bravo C, Ates HH, Sharpe H. Exploring changes in body image, eating and exercise during the COVID-19 lockdown: a UK survey. Appetite 2021; 159: 105062
  • 28 Naja F, Hamadeh R. Nutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-level framework for action. Eur J Clin Nutr 2020; 74 (08) 1117-1121
  • 29 Fardet A. Characterization of the degree of food processing in relation with its health potential and effects. Adv Food Nutr Res 2018; 85: 79-129
  • 30 Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R. et al. Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. [published correction appears in Cell Metab. 2019;30(1):226] [published correction appears in Cell Metab. 2020;32(4):690] Cell Metab 2019; 30 (01) 67-77.e3
  • 31 Azemati B, Kelishadi R, Ahadi Z. et al. Association between junk food consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents population: the CASPIAN-V study. Eat Weight Disord 2020; 25 (02) 329-335
  • 32 van Loveren C. Sugar restriction for caries prevention: amount and frequency. which is more important?. Caries Res 2019; 53 (02) 168-175
  • 33 Pietrobelli A, Pecoraro L, Ferruzzi A. et al. Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on lifestyle behaviors in children with obesity living in Verona, Italy: a longitudinal study. Obesity (Silver Spring 2020; 28 (08) 1382-1385
  • 34 Rodríguez-Pérez C, Molina-Montes E, Verardo V. et al. Changes in dietary behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak confinement in the Spanish COVIDiet Study. Nutrients 2020; 12 (06) 1730 DOI: 10.3390/nu12061730.
  • 35 Bennett G, Young E, Butler I, Coe S. The impact of lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak on dietary habits in various population groups: a scoping review. Front Nutr 2021; 8: 626432
  • 36 Scarmozzino F, Visioli F. Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown modified dietary habits of almost half the population in an Italian sample. Foods 2020; 9 (05) 675
  • 37 Dömötör Z, Nordin S, Witthöft M, Köteles F. Modern health worries: a systematic review. J Psychosom Res 2019; 124: 109781
  • 38 Patel V, Mazzaferro DM, Sarwer DB, Bartlett SP. Beauty and the mask. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2020; 8 (08) e3048