Assessing the Attitude and Practices of Dental Surgeons Towards Periodontal Health After the COVID-19 Outbreak

Moi Kato; Shalabh Mehrotra; Zoya Chowdhary; Monalisa Mosang; Abdul Waris

Authors

Moi Kato
Shalabh Mehrotra
Zoya Chowdhary
Monalisa Mosang
Abdul Waris

Keywords:

Knowledge, Periodontitis, Coronavirus

Abstract

Objective: To assess the orientation of dental practitioners in understanding the probable relationship between COVID-19 and periodontal infection and the measures they took toward periodontal health during the pandemic. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted, including registered dentists in Moradabad. The questionnaire provided was a self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire with 26 questions, shared via an online survey link utilizing Google Forms. The data collected was tabulated and statistically evaluated. Results: The participants implemented many preventive measures in their daily lives against COVID-19, such as hand washing, frequent hand sanitization, face shields, mouth masks, social distancing not, being in overcrowded places, using HEPA filters and different combinations of protective measures against COVID-19. 82.23% of participants learned from the official websites of organizations like the Ministries of Health, WHO, and professional organizations about COVID-19. Conclusion: Most participants endorsed oral hygiene measures and the use of mouthwashes by their patients, yet a significant number of dental surgeons needed to be made aware of a probable correlation between COVID-19 infection and chronic periodontitis.

References

Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W, Li X, Yang B, Song J, et al. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med 2020; 382(8):727-733. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2001017

de Wit E, van Doremalen N, Falzarano D, Munster VJ. SARS and MERS: Recent insights into emerging coronaviruses. Nat Rev Microbiol 2016; 14(8):523-534. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2016.81

Zhou P, Yang XL, Wang XG, Hu B, Zhang L, Zhang W, et al. A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature 2020; 579(7798):270-273. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2951-z

Wu D, Yang XO. TH17 responses in cytokine storm of COVID-19: An emerging target of JAK2 inhibitor Fedratinib. J Microbial Immunol Infect 2020; 53(3):368-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmii.2020.03.005

Sahni V, Gupta S. COVID-19 & Periodontitis: The cytokine connection. Med Hypotheses 2020; 144:109908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109908

To KK, Lu L, Yip CC, Poon RW, Fung AM, Cheng A, et al. Additional molecular testing of saliva specimens improves the detection of respiratory viruses. Emerg Microbes Infect 2017; 6(6):e49. https://doi.org/10.1038/emi.2017.35

Chan JF, Yip CC, To KK, Tang TH, Wong SC, Leung KH, et al. Improved molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 by the novel, highly sensitive and specific COVID-19-RdRp/Hel real-time reverse transcription-PCR assay validated in vitro and with clinical specimens. J Clin Microbiol 2020; 58(5):e00310-20. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00310-20

Huang Y, Yang C, Xu XF, Xu W, Liu SW. Structural and functional properties of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: Potential antivirus drug development for COVID-19. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2020; 41(9):1141-1149. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-020-0485-4

Zou L, Ruan F, Huang M, Liang L, Huang H, Hong Z, et al. SARS-CoV-2 viral load in upper respiratory specimens of infected patients. N Engl J Med 2020; 382(12):1177-1179. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2001737

Clementini M, Raspini M, Barbato L, Bernardelli F, Braga G, Littarru C, et al. Aerosol transmission for SARS‐CoV‐2 in the dental practice. A review by SIdP COVID‐19 task force. Oral Dis 2022; 28(Suppl 1):852-857. https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.13649

Bui FQ, Almeida-da-Silva CLC, Huynh B, Trinh A, Liu J, Woodward J, et al. Association between periodontal pathogens and systemic disease. Biomed J 2019; 42(1):27-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2018.12.001

Wu Z, Nakanishi H. Connection between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease: Possible roles of microglia and leptomeningeal cells. J Pharmacol Sci 2014; 126(1):8-13. https://doi.org/10.1254/jphs.14r11cp

Jepsen S, Stadlinger B, Terheyden H, Sanz M. Science transfer: Oral health and general health – the links between periodontitis, atherosclerosis and diabetes. J Clin Periodontol 2015; 42(12):1071-1073. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12484

Khumaedi AI, Purnamasari D, Wijaya IP, Soeroso Y. The relationship of diabetes, periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Metab Syndr 2019; 13(2):1675-1678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsx.2019.03.023

Ghezzi EM, Ship JA. Systemic diseases and their treatments in the elderly: Impact on oral health. J Publ Health Dent 2000; 60(4):289-296. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-7325.2000.tb03337.x

Han P, Sun D, Yang J. Interaction between periodontitis and liver diseases. Biomed Rep 2016; 5(3):267-276. https://doi.org/10.3892/br.2016.718

Gomes-Filho IS, Passos JS, Seixas da Cruz S. Respiratory disease and the role of oral bacteria. J Oral Microbiol 2010; 21:2. https://doi.org/10.3402/jom.v2i0.5811

Varanat M, Haase EM, Kay JG, Scannapieco FA. Activation of the TREM-1 pathway in human monocytes by periodontal pathogens and oral commensal bacteria. Mol Oral Microbiol 2017; 32(4):275-287. https://doi.org/10.1111/omi.12169

Costela-Ruiz VJ, Illescas-Montes R, Puerta-Puerta JM, Ruiz C, Melguizo-Rodríguez L. SARS-CoV-2 infection: The role of cytokines in COVID-19 disease. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 54:62-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cytogfr.2020.06.001

Azarpazhooh A, Leake JL. Systematic review of the association between respiratory diseases and oral health. J Periodontol 2006; 77(9):1465-1482. https://doi.org/10.1902/jop.2006.060010

Botros N, Iyer P, Ojcius D M. Is there an association between oral health and severity of COVID-19 complications? Biomed J 2020; 43(4):325-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2020.05.016

Peng X, Xu X, Li Y, Cheng L, Zhou X, Ren B. Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice. Int J Oral Sci 2020; 12(1):9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-020-0075-9

World Medical Association. Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA 2013; 310(20):2191-2194. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2013.281053

Marouf N, Cai W, Said KN, Daas H, Diab H, Chinta VR, et al. Association between periodontitis and severity of COVID-19 infection: A case-control study. J Clin Periodontol 2021; 48(4):483-491. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.13435