Parental attitude toward children’s oral health during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Italy

Authors

  • L Lardani Unit of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa
  • E Carli Unit of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa
  • S Ligori Unit of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa
  • MR Gatto Unit of Special Needs Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • A Bottoni Unit of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa
  • C Bombardini Unit of Special Needs Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna
  • S Bagattoni Unit of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. Unit of Special Needs Dentistry and Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23804/EJPD.2023.24.01.02

Keywords:

Children’s oral health, dietary habits, COVID-19, Dental visits, Lifestyle

Abstract

AIM: During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictive rules were imposed around the world to limit the spread of the virus. The present study aims to investigate how the pandemic and the consequent restrictions have affected the lives and oral health of Italian families with children aged 0–14 years. MATERIALS: Through a questionnaire distributed online from December 2020 to March 2021 the following aspects were investigated: family income during the pandemic, fear of the pandemic, dietary habits, perceived risk of infection in a dental practice and perceived children oral health status during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The pandemic has not drastically changed the socio-economic conditions, the dietary habits and the oral health condition of most Italian children. Nevertheless, the pandemic seems to have highlighted significant macro-regional differences regarding the satisfaction with the response of the regional health services to the pandemic. The continuation of the pandemic and the possible socio-economic effects could favour new changes in lifestyles, oral health and discrepancies regarding health care access, which deserve to be the subject of further investigation.