The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Oral Hygiene Status of Children with High Caries Risk and Their Parents

Abstract

Background: People consumed more sugary foods and neglected oral hygiene during the lockdowns due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to compare the oral hygiene status and dietary habits of children with high caries risk and their parents before and after COVID-19. Methods: The study was conducted with the parents of 155 children aged 3–5 years. A questionnaire including both the children’s and parents’ dietary and oral hygiene habits was completed by the parents. Decay, missing, filling teeth (dmft/DMFT) status of the children was recorded before and after COVID-19. Results: A significant decrease was observed in the parents’ tooth brushing frequency (p = 0.028), while no difference was observed in the children’s brushing frequency before and after COVID-19 (p = 0.216). Both children and parents ate significantly more frequently (p = 0.047, p = 0.043). dmft/DMFT values increased significantly after COVID-19 (p = 0.005). Conclusions: The study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had a limited effect on tooth brushing habits in children with high caries risk. Additionally, it resulted in increased consumption of sugary foods among both children and parents, exacerbating caries in children aged 3–5 years. Healthcare professionals and parents can work together to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health, especially for high-caries-risk children.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• oral hygiene
• dietary habits
• parents
• pediatric dentistry