Dental Disaster: One Year After First Lockdowns, Dentists Confront the Consequences of COVID-19 on Oral Health

Ahead of World Oral Health Day and one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, FDI councillors and members reported seeing first-hand the catastrophic aftermath of the virus on the health of people's teeth and gums in dental practices around the globe. "Let's call it for what it is — a dental disaster," said Dr Gerhard Konrad Seeberger, President of FDI World Dental Federation.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, dental practices around the world were forced to close. For two to three months, all dental appointments had to be postponed or cancelled, except for urgent emergency treatments. The World Health Organization reported that oral health services were among the most affected essential health services, with 77 per cent of countries reporting partial or complete disruption.

Despite practices reopening between waves and dentists maintaining the most stringent infection prevention protocols, many patients continued to avoid routine check-ups — visiting only when in extreme pain. Many developed advanced tooth decay and related complications, including infections, making treatment far more complex than it would have been with timely intervention.

Professor Paulo Melo, an FDI Councillor in Porto, Portugal, reported seeing high-risk patients who had waited nine months to a year or more between appointments, presenting with severe toothaches and complications. "During the pandemic, high-risk patients have tended to develop more than one problem, often exhibiting three or four at the same time because too much time has gone by without a check-up," he said.

The pandemic's repeated lockdowns and work-at-home arrangements also contributed to shifting daily habits — including increased snacking, skipping twice-daily brushing, and reduced parental supervision of children's oral hygiene. A global research study by Unilever found that children are seven times more likely to skip brushing if their parent does not brush day and night, underscoring the importance of modelling good oral care habits at home.

"People must not be afraid to visit the dentist. Safeguarding oral health is of paramount importance to ensure general health, well-being and a good quality of life," said Dr Seeberger. Dentists worldwide have revised hygiene measures in line with government mandates, and recent surveys indicate that oral health professionals have significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 infection rates than other healthcare workers in most parts of the world.