Preventive Habits in University Workers during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

SARS-CoV-2 and the consequent public health measures changed our habits, including prevention in oral health.

The aim was to investigate the relationship between the perceived risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and preventive habits, including COVID-19 preventive measures, general health preventive attitudes and oral-hygiene habits.

Data were collected via a web-based questionnaire, matched with medical history data obtained by the Occupational Medicine Service. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results of this observational cross-sectional study. Potential and investigated associations were studied through multivariate logistic regression.

The perceived risk increases with age and decreases with a diabetes family history. The percentage of those with a dentist visit in the past three months is about three times higher among people who tested negative for COVID-19 than the positives. The percentage of those who had a dentist visit in more than six months is higher among the positives. Gingival bleeding was more frequent among people who tested positive for COVID-19, while it was a less frequent symptom in the negative group.

Results highlight a relation between the risk of testing positive for COVID-19 and oral health preventive habits. There is a relationship between oral health and risk perception for SARS-CoV-2.