Pandemic causing increase in teeth grinding and stress

Jeremy Booth, Dental Tribune International

Mon. 19. April 2021

save

CHICAGO, U.S.: A survey by the American Dental Association (ADA) has found that more patients have developed bruxism as a result of stress during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and that there is a general increase in stress-related oral health conditions. According to the association’s chief science officer, the trend means that routine dental check-ups have never been more important.

The latest monthly ADA Health Policy Institute survey of U.S. dentists found a significant increase in the reporting of stress-related dental problems. In the Feb. 15 survey, more than 70% of survey respondents said that more patients had bruxism—up from 60% in the survey undertaken by the institute in fall 2020.

The ADA said in a note to its members that 71% of respondents reported an increase in the incidence of bruxism and that other stress-related dental conditions had also increased. An increase in chipped and cracked teeth was reported by 63% of respondents, and 62% reported an increase in temporomandibular joint disorder symptoms.

“Our polling has served as a barometer for pandemic stress affecting patients and communities seen through the eyes of dentists,” commented Dr. Marko Vujicic, chief economist and vice president of the ADA Health Policy Institute, in a press release. “The increase over time suggests stress-related conditions have become substantially more prevalent since the onset of COVID-19,” he added.

ADA Chief Science Officer Dr. Marcelo Araujo said that dentists are seeing more stress-related dental conditions as the pandemic continues. “It’s more important than ever for people to maintain their dental health, including seeing the dentist regularly to address any issues that could have long-term impact,” he commented.

U.S. dentists increase fees in response to financial challenges

Participants in the ADA survey were also asked about patient sentiment and other factors relating to the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on dental practice. The February survey found that average patient volume was around 81% compared with pre-pandemic levels and that staffing levels in dental clinics had almost completely recovered—respondents indicated that 99% of their dental teams were back at work.

Of the measures being taken to maintain financial stability, raising fees was the most common, and practice owners were also responding to financial difficulties by taking out loans, reducing working hours and changing suppliers. Fewer cost-saving measures were reported by dentists in larger group practices compared with those reported by solo practitioners.

Teledentistry was being practiced in some form by more than one-third of respondents, particularly to triage emergency cases and for postoperative and follow-up care consultations.

In March 2020, the association began surveying dentists regularly about the effects of the pandemic. It said that the February 2021 survey sample was nationally representative and that around 2,500 dentists had responded. The ADA has summarized the survey findings in webinars which are available on its YouTube channel.

Tags:

To post a reply please login or register

Pandemic exacerbates UK oral health inequalities

LONDON, UK: Researchers at University College London have highlighted the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect of having widened inequalities in oral health in the ...

Dental patient charges increase by 5% in UK, causing uproar

LONDON, UK: Though practices in the UK remain open as the country goes through its second lockdown of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, dentists appear to be facing ...

New Zealand’s dental system causing a childhood oral health crisis, experts say

OTAGO, New Zealand: Dental care in New Zealand is among the most expensive in the world, leading many residents to delay dental check-ups or avoid them ...

Study determines work-related factors that keep oral health providers well

LINKÖPING, Sweden: Research focusing on factors that are associated with the well-being and healthy and meaningful working life of oral healthcare ...

In-depth look at oral health and healthy ageing during 2018 World Oral Health Forum

Each year, the FDI World Dental Congress features the World Oral Health Forum (WOHF), an in-depth session meant to spark discussion on the latest topics ...

Interview: “The Italian dental industry is in a very healthy condition”

Driven by an emphasis on high-performing and intelligently designed products, the Italian dental industry has become firmly established as one of the ...

Oral health inequalities remain a major public health concern in the UK

LONDON, UK: Despite being largely preventable, poor dental health continues to be a major public health issue in England. This is evident in a recent report...

Researchers stress importance of appropriate PPE selection during COVID-19 pandemic

OPORTO, Portugal: A recently published paper, which is the second of a three-part series on the management of COVID-19 in clinical dental care settings, ...

Improving oral health in India using mobile dental vans

WARDHA, India: Health authorities in India face several obstacles in the efficient delivery of dental care, including a dentist-to-population ratio that is ...

Poor oral health may increase risk of severe COVID-19 for cardiac patients

CAIRO, Egypt: Previous studies have linked poor oral hygiene with hyper-inflammation and cardiovascular disease. Similarly, the severity of COVID-19 has ...

Education

Live webinar
Mon. 22 April 2024
10:00 am EST (New York)