A Misstep
Oral health is a category of healthcare that was highly overlooked during the height of the pandemic, but maybe it should not have been. Now that 2 years have passed in this pandemic, it has provided researchers will ample information regarding the link between COVID-19 and oral healthcare, and the results may surprise you
Factors That Made All the Difference
During the pandemic, dental professionals reported increased numbers of cavities, gum disease and stress-related issues, such as grinding teeth and TMJ. As dental practices were forced to shut down during the onset of the virus, it is not shocking that their patients let their oral health slip. However, even as the dental practices opened again, there was a dramatic reduction in patient flow. This is due to the fact that almost all dental procedures produce aerosols, which is the main way the virus travels and spreads.
To compound on the fear of catching the virus, a lot of individuals faced financial and personal struggles during the pandemic. This can lead to individuals turning towards risky behaviors in order to cope with the stress, such as excessive drinking, smoking and eating – all of which contribute to oral health issues down the road. Stress can also lead to poor hygiene, including decreased lack of oral healthcare, especially when you are trapped inside the house with nowhere to go.
The Unexpected Connection
All these factors are natural outcomes of the hard times we had faced, and continue to face, but there is an additional outcome that not many saw coming. Researchers at McGill found that infected and inflamed gums can lead to higher rates of complication, in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19. The studies show that COVID-19 patients with gum disease are 3.5 times more likely to be admitted to the ICU, 4.5 times more likely to require a ventilator and almost 9 times as more likely to die from complications, when comparing to those without gum disease. These numbers indicate an irrefutable connection between oral health and COVID-19. The question is, was it the right decision to overlook oral healthcare during the onset of the pandemic, or could more lives have been saved if more importance was put onto oral healthcare?
