Dental Problems and Awareness of Patients for Oral Health in COVID-19 Pandemic during Lockdown and Postlockdown Period

Abstract

Introduction: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown was imposed largely to control the rapid spread of this virus and get our health machinery ready to fight the disease. The dental services were restricted to urgent and emergency procedures. The aims and objectives of present study were assessment of dental problems faced by the patients during and after the lockdown, awareness of the patients regarding the oral health during this period and evaluation of current status of the dental problems. Materials and Methods: After taking informed consent of patients, cross sectional study was designed in form of online survey in month of February 2021. A link was shared to all the patients visiting dental outpatient department. There was no exclusion criterion for study. The responses were subjected to statistical analysis-using Chi-square test with significance value P < 0.05. Results: Total 506 responses (age range 5–68 years) of both the sexes were recorded. Out of them 269 (60.3%) did not have any dental problem whereas 177 (39.7%) had dental problem during the lockdown. Out of 177 responses, 62 patients faced multiple dental problems, highest being dentinal sensitivity/dental pain (50.2%).35.2% patients resorted to home remedies, 9.4% patients to teledentistry. Use of teledentistry was statistically significant for the dental problems of patients during lockdown (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients faced multiple problems Dental pain being the commonest. The current study has shown us the path for teledentistry and need for emergency dental services to tackle further such outbreaks.