2022 Volume 30 Issue 2 Pages 181-189
Objectives: The goal of oral health and dental care is to maintain and improve vital social functions such as eating and communication. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of COVID-19 on the health behavior of dental care providers and patients and the resulting impact on oral health and dental care.
Contents: The oral cavity contains many SARS-CoV-2 (ACE2) receptors. Due to the frequency of contact with saliva and oral mucosa as well as aerosols generated during dental treatment, there is a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection at dental clinics. However, it has been proven that the risk of infection can be decreased by thoroughly implementing infection prevention measures. In fact, no cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to dental treatment have been confirmed in Japan. The number of people visiting dental clinics decreased when the pandemic began in 2020, but in 2021 dental visitation recovered to 2019 levels. Research has established a clear relationship between oral health and NCDs such as diabetes, obesity, COPD, and cardiovascular disease, which are risk factors for severe COVID-19. It is therefore likely that periodontal disease prevention reduces the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Conclusion: Dental institutions are highly accessible and can quickly implement infection prevention measures, so they can and should play an important public health role. Lifelong oral health promotion not only contributes to NCD and frailty prevention, but can also contribute to reducing the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
