Dental care during the Covid-19 pandemic has become a serious problem, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Association of Endodontists.
In a nationwide poll of approximately 1,000 adults, the survey found more than half of respondents cited concerns over the pandemic for putting off their dental check-ups, while 28% either did not schedule a dental visit or forgot about it.
Bad dental habits have become more prevalent during the pandemic, with 21% of respondents admitting they didn”™t brush their teeth in the morning, 25% acknowledging they waited until later in the morning to brush their teeth, 23% stating they did not floss and 24% stating they were flossing less frequently. And 31% said they were snacking more on tooth-decaying sweets during the pandemic.
Millennials were the worst offenders, with 43% of those surveyed indicating that working or attending virtual classes from home disrupted their dental hygiene habits. But not everyone who faces dire dental problems is willing to see a dentist: Only 60% of respondents said they would make a dental appointment if they were experiencing tooth pain that would not go away.
“If you’re suffering with a toothache that wakes you up out of a sound sleep at night, or because you’re eating hot or cold food, you need an endodontist,” said Alan H. Gluskin, president of American Association of Endodontists. “You should not delay treatment.”
