Background: The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak may have a large impact on orthodontic treatment. Regular orthodontic visits were strongly and widely interrupted by the unprecedented epidemiological threat. Methods: The data regarding orthodontic queries were investigated in a real-time surveillance using Google Trends. Search terms “braces”, “invisalign”, “get braces”, “get braces off”, “braces pain” and the phrase “social distancing” were analyzed regarding the year preceding the pandemic outbreak and the time of the pandemic. Moreover, the five-year trend for queries “braces” vs. “invisalign”, as an example of different types of orthodontic appliances, was compared. Results: There was a significant decrease in orthodontics phrase queries in the spring of 2020, connected with the worldwide restrictions and lockdowns announced all over the world. There was a lower interest in the “braces pain” query during the first lockdown in 2020. The number of searches for “invisalign” increased steadily over time, while the number of searches for “braces” was relatively stable across the investigated time period. Conclusions: The course of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a large impact on the orthodontic-related search queries. Orthodontists must be better-prepared for any sudden changes in the possible future in the epidemiological situation that may change accessibility to dental offices.
Analog space missions were created to study the human factor in extraordinary conditions that would occur in future space habitats. Isolation has been shown to cause stress and disrupt individuals’ daily routine, which can also affect their oral hygiene and lead to an increased risk of dental caries and gingivitis. The astronauts’ specific freeze-dried diet is associated with “lazy” chewing, potential dehydration and vitamin A deficiency, which may adversely affect their saliva. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the freeze-dried diet on selected oral hygiene indicators in analog astronauts (AA) enduring strict isolation conditions during six consecutive analog space missions at the LunAres Research Station. During the experiment the oral hygiene and gingival inflammation status measurements were conducted on the group of AAs at the beginning and at the end of each mission. Measurements included four oral hygiene indicators: API, sOHI, PI by Silness and Loe and GBI by Ainamo and Bay. Each AA’s individual scores were noted and analyzed. Statistically significant reduction in the amount of plaque and intensity of gingival bleeding was observed over the course of the study, which could indicate positive results of applied oral hygiene procedures despite unfavorable dietary and stressful isolation conditions.
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