Associations between Emotional Distress, Sleep Changes, Decreased Tooth Brushing Frequency, Self-Reported Oral Ulcers and SARS-Cov-2 Infection during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Survey

Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan (), Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuniga, Oliver C. Ezechi, Brandon Brown, Annie L. Nguyen, Nourhan M. Aly, Passent Ellakany, Ifeoma E. Idigbe, Abeedha Tu-Allah Khan, Folake Barakat Lawal, Mohammed Jafer, Balgis Gaffar, Bamidele Olubukola Popoola, Mir Faeq Ali Quadri, Jorma I. Virtanen, Joanne Lusher and Maha El Tantawi
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Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuniga: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Oliver C. Ezechi: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Brandon Brown: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Annie L. Nguyen: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Nourhan M. Aly: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Passent Ellakany: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Ifeoma E. Idigbe: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Abeedha Tu-Allah Khan: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Folake Barakat Lawal: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Mohammed Jafer: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Balgis Gaffar: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Bamidele Olubukola Popoola: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Mir Faeq Ali Quadri: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Jorma I. Virtanen: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Joanne Lusher: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria
Maha El Tantawi: Mental Health and Wellness Study Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220282, Nigeria

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: This study assessed the association between emotional distress, sleep changes, decreased frequency of tooth brushing, and self-reported oral ulcers, and the association between COVID-19 status and decreased frequency of tooth brushing. Using a cross-sectional online survey, data were collected from adults in 152 countries between July and December 2020. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the associations between dependent (decreased frequency of tooth brushing, oral ulcers, change in sleep pattern) and independent (tested positive for COVID-19, depression, anxiety, frustration/boredom, loneliness, anger, and grief/feeling of loss) variables after adjusting for confounders (age, sex, level of education, employment status). Of the 14,970 participants data analyzed, 1856 (12.4%) tested positive for COVID-19. Respondents who reported feeling depressed (AoR: 1.375), lonely (AoR: 1.185), angry (AoR: 1.299), and experienced sleep changes (AoR:1.466) had significantly higher odds of decreased tooth brushing frequency. Respondents who felt anxious (AoR: 1.255), angry (AoR: 1.510), grief/sense of loss (AoR: 1.236), and sleep changes (AoR: 1.262) had significantly higher odds of oral ulcers. Respondents who tested positive for COVID-19 had significantly higher odds of decreased tooth brushing frequency (AoR: 1.237) and oral ulcers (AoR: 2.780). These findings highlight that the relationship between emotional distress and oral health may intensify during a pandemic.

Keywords: oral health; oral ulcers; sleep disorders; emotions; COVID-19 pandemic (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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