Pinch of Prevention in Pounds of Troubles: Utilization
of Preventive Oral Health Care Services by High-Risk
Children and Other Target Groups Amidst Covid- 19
Milieu
Volume 7 - Issue 2
Irosha Perera1*, Chandra Herath2, Manosha Perera3 and Chandana Gajanayake4
1Preventive Oral Health Unit, National Dental Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
2Division of Pedodontics, Department of Community Dental Health, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
3Alumnus School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Griffith University, Australia
4Deputy Director, Office of Deputy Director, National Hospital Sri Lanka
Received: January 10, 2022; Published: January 18, 2022
*Corresponding author: Irosha Perera, Preventive Oral Health Unit, National Dental Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka, Ward Place, Colombo
7, Sri Lanka
DOI: 10.32474/IPDOAJ.2022.07.000256
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Abstract
Introduction: COVID-19 global pandemic caused suspension of routine and preventive dental treatment whilst prioritizing
emergency care. Preventive oral health care services contribute to oral health improvements among high-risk children and pregnant
women. We, therefore, aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on utilization of preventive oral health care services targeted for
high-risk groups provided by a premier tertiary care public dental hospital in Sri Lanka.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study on performance statistics of the Preventive Oral Health Unit of National Dental
Hospital (Teaching) Sri Lanka was conducted for the periods from 1st January to 30th November 2020, pertaining to pre-COVID- 19
period (baseline), 1st Wave of COVID-19, transition period and on-going second wave. Comparisons were done on mean numbers of
selected preventive treatment episodes performed and risk groups attended using independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA and
Kruskal-Walli’s test. Relative contributions of emergency visits for total visits were assessed for the given period. Data were entered
and analysed by using SPSS-21 statistical package.
Results: Significant declines was evident in preventive dental care episodes provided for high-risk toddlers and pregnant
mothers during the first and on-going second waves of COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID- 19 and transition periods(p<0.05). In
contrast, substantial increases detected in relative contribution of emergency visits for total number of visits among children for
symptomatic dento-alveloar infections during two waves of COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID- 19 and transition periods.
Conclusions: COVID-19 has negatively impacted on preventive oral health care service utilization by high-risk groups, whilst
raising the proportion of emergency visits due to aggravated dental diseases. Providing preventive care becomes essential to reduce
the burden of aggravated late sequel of dental caries among high risk children. Novel models of preventive oral health care services
for high-risk low socio-economic groups could be a way-forward in COVID-19 milieu.
Keywords: Preventive Oral Health Care; high risk groups; low socio-economic groups; COVID-19; emergency visits; Sri Lanka
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