Oral healthcare-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 lockdown period: A cross-sectional study from Eastern Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To assess oral healthcare-seeking behaviors during the COVID-19 lockdown period in eastern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted from October 2020 to December 2020 at Dental Clinic Complex, College of Dentistry, King Faisal University Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and sixty patients who visited the Dental Clinic Complex after relaxation of lockdown and consented to participate were included in this study. Participants were instructed to complete a questionnaire on oral health and dental care during the lockdown period, consisting of five sections. RESULTS: Out of 360 participants, 168 reported requiring dental help during the lockdown period; however, only 27 participants contacted a dentist to emergency advice on phone, and 102 participants visited a dentist. ​Most participants used ​toothpaste for sensitive teeth, followed by over-the-counter pain killers, and ​clove oil. In this regard, 72.8% of females used toothpaste for sensitive teeth. A considerable number of participants needed filling, followed by root canal treatment, ​denture repair, and dental extraction. Most participants were treated with pain killers, followed by antibiotics, and referral to a hospital. More than 80% of them expressed that regular visits to the dentist are beneficial. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of participants sought oral health care during the lockdown period, mainly for restorative treatment. This was mostly achieved by visiting a dentist, or via telephone consultation to a lesser extent. Analgesics were the most common prescriptions, followed by antibiotics. Dental patients should be encouraged to regularly visit dentists to mitigate the drawbacks that lockdowns may cause in the provision of oral healthcare services.