Dental and Gingival Health Knowledge and Awareness Levels in Individuals During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Questionnaire Study

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the level of awareness of individuals’ dental and gingival health has changed in parallel with the increased awareness in personal hygiene due to Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using a questionnaire. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 200 individuals who applied to Periodontology Clinics. The 24-item questionnaire was developed with the specific aim of assessing participants' awareness of dental and gingival disease during the ongoing pandemic. Number and percentage values were calculated for descriptive statistics. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical data between the groups. Results: Majority of respondents (74%) indicated no change in the frequency of their tooth brushing habits during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic while 10% reported decrease in their brushing frequency. Males made less changes in tooth brushing frequency during the pandemic than females (P<.05). Periodontal treatment was considered to be safe and very safe by 47% of participants in terms of the risk of Corona virus transmission. Although there was a statistical difference between gender groups for this question (P<.05), there was no difference among education groups (P>.05). Conclusion: Our findings show that knowledge and awareness about dental and gingival health, which is an essential component of general health, is insufficient during the COVID-19 pandemic