Background
To find out whether misuse of dental hygiene, in terms of certain dental habits, may facilitate the spread of COVID-19 among cohabiting individuals.
Methods
302 COVID-19 infected (PCR +) subjects cohabiting with someone else at home were selected for an observational cross-sectional study. An anonymous online questionnaire was developed using Google forms to avoid person-to-person contact. The structured questionnaire consisted of questions covering several areas: sociodemographic data, cross-transmission to another person living together, oral hygiene habits during confinement, care and disinfection control behaviors in the dental environment like sharing a toothbrush, sharing toothbrush container, sharing toothpaste, placing brush vertically, placing the cap with hole for brush, disinfecting brush with bleach, closing toilet lid before flushing.
Results
Tongue brushing was more used in the group where there was no transmission of the disease to other members (p < 0.05).
Significant differences were found for shared toothbrush use (p < 0.05), although shared use was a minority in this group (4. 7%), significant differences were also found for the use of the same container (p < 0.01), shared use of toothpaste (p < 0.01), toothbrush disinfection with bleach (p < 0.01), brush change after PCR + (p < 0.05). The women performed significantly more disinfection with toothbrush bleach (p < 0.01), closing the toilet lid (p < 0.05), and changing the brush after PCR + (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The use of inappropriate measures in the dental environment could contribute to the indirect transmission of COVID-19 between cohabitants.
Keywords: Oral Hygiene, Oral Care, Covid-19, Hygiene Habits, Periodontics, Preventing gum disease, Gum Disease, Dentist, Dental Work, Dry Mouth, asthma triggers, Periodontology, asthma symptoms, bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease