Oral Healthcare Services Delivered During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Report from Eastern Mediterranean Region

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe oral healthcare services administered during the lockdown in the Eastern Mediterranean region and to investigate the role of socio-professional characteristics of dental practitioners or their self-reported COVID-19 infection. Material and Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to dental practitioners in all healthcare sectors in Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Results: There was a total of 335 participants, with the majority being females (N=225, 67.2%) and general practitioners (N=202, 60.3%). Cellulitis was the most common emergency encountered (N=108). The most common urgent procedures were for pulpitis, abscesses, and pericoronitis (N=191, 130, and 95, respectively). Country-specific significant associations were pulpitis in Egypt and Jordan, broken symptomatic teeth in Jordan, and biopsy in Egypt (p<0.05). The Ministry of Health was significantly associated with the management of dental infections, avulsion, and orthodontic emergencies, while university hospitals were significantly associated with advanced restorative procedures (p<0.05). Male practitioners performed significantly more procedures, particularly surgical emergencies (p<0.05). Conclusion: Dental infections were the most common complaints among dental patients during lockdown. Countryand sector-specific dental procedures are detected. Male gender seems to play a determinant role in performing a higher number of procedures, particularly for surgical emergencies (AU).

Assessing Expectant Mothers' Knowledge and Beliefs about Oral Healthcare During Infancy and Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

Objective: To evaluate expectant mothers' knowledge and beliefs on oral healthcare of infants. It also aimed at exploring their knowledge on oral health care during pregnancy and the possible relationship between oral health and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among expectant mothers attending antenatal clinics in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia in summer, 2017. Questions collected data on sociodemographic characteristics of the study sample as well as basic knowledge on oral healthcare during pregnancy and infancy. There were also questions on knowledge about adverse pregnancy outcomes that may be associated with poor oral health. Results: A convenient sample of 360 pregnant women participated in the study. A percentage of 79.7% showed a good level of knowledge in oral healthcare of infants while a percentage of 8.9% only showed a good level of knowledge in oral healthcare during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Education level and employment status were significantly associated the good level of knowledge in oral healthcare of infants (p=0.000, and 0.002 respectively). Conclusion: Most of expectant mothers, particularly educated and employed ones, have good knowledge on oral healthcare of infants, however, the majority lacked sufficient knowledge on pregnancy outcomes and oral healthcare during pregnancy.