Assessment of Self-Care Methods for Acute Dental Pain Among Adults During COVID-19 Dissemination and the Implementation of Teledentistry in Makkah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Aim: This cross-sectional study aims to explore the prevalence of acute dental pain, different self-care methods done by adults to manage this pain, and the utilization of teledental platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. The study was conducted in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.Methods: A total of 727 participants answered the study questionnaire, which was distributed as an online survey on different social media platforms. The modified dental pain screening questionnaire (M-DePaQ) was used to obtain dental pain-related characteristics of subjects. Also, self-care and formal-care strategies for pain relief questionnaire for most recent toothache and additional questions developed by the authors related to virtual clinics were used to determine the need for implementation of teledentistry and remote dental consultations. Data was entered in SPSS (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression.Results: Around 39% out of 727 participants experienced dental pain during the COVID-19 Makkah city lockdown; 58% of them reported that the pain was related to a tooth. The majority reported that it was exaggerated with cold beverages and foods [67.1%]. A chi-square association test showed that the age group between 20-30 significantly used the Sehaty (Lean, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) application more than other age groups. Additionally, women were notably found to use home remedies more frequently than men. Furthermore, individuals with a bachelor's degree believed more in the importance of having a virtual dental clinic during the periods of lockdown.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, acute dental pain and self-medication were found common among this study population. The practice of self-medication was also documented frequently, therefore, it is important to educate the general population on the proper way to manage dental pain. However, The use of teledentistry services was found uncommon, so to improve patient care especially when accessibility to professional treatment is difficult, the implementation of teledental services need to be considered.

Craniofacial Pain Management in Severe COVID-19 Patients During the Pandemic Peak in Kosovo: A Comprehensive Approach

“…In contrast, the study conducted by Jarwan et al [ 24 ] found that 47.9% of respondents had moderate-to-severe pain, while 45% were affected by sleep disturbances. Perhaps the age and severity of the disease of our study participants are the main reasons for the significant difference in pain perception.…”

“…In Kosovo, participants expressed relatively high confidence ( n = 36, 65.5%) in their health system's ability to diagnose the virus. In contrast, results from participants in Makkah, Saudi Arabia (2023) [ 24 ] showed a significantly low utilization rate of 10% for the diagnostic capabilities of the health system. This discrepancy could be due to education, cultural beliefs, health insurance, and income.…”

Promoting Dental Health Through Teledentistry: Assessing Awareness and Attitudes in Saudi Arabia

“…These include varied levels of awareness and acceptance among the populace and dental professionals alike. Although some studies underscore the efficacy of digital platforms in dental health education and the promising role of teledentistry in clinical settings [4,5], concerns about diagnostic accuracy, cost implications, and data security loom large [6,7].…”