The Impact of COVID-19 Quarantine Measures on Oral Hygiene Practices Among the General Public in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is most commonly associated with respiratory symptoms, which can vary from one individual to another. In addition, many patients can recover from this condition without undergoing any special treatment plan. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic and, soon after, Saudi Arabia put in place strict quarantine measures in all cities across the country to protect its citizens from the spread of COVID-19. The key objective of the quarantine program was to prevent infectious transmission from individuals who were potentially incubating the virus. Quarantine can have a significant psychological impact on human lives. With their freedom restricted and everyday life affected, people can experience behavioral changes. If people are better informed regarding such unusual situations and their effects on their oral and general health, it could go a long way in motivating them to adopt healthy practices during quarantine periods. In light of this, the aim of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the impact of quarantine on oral hygiene practices among the general public living in Riyadh City. The effect of quarantine on any changes in oral health and hygiene was also assessed. Methodology A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out among 570 adult participants from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who were aged 20 years and above. The data were collected using an online, self-administered, and structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 18 questions divided into two sections: the first part comprised questions related to demographic details and the second part consisted of questions related to oral hygiene practices and oral health. Results The results of the survey showed that the quarantine had affected oral hygiene practices positively by increasing the awareness of the general public about hygiene practices. Conclusions COVID-19 has affected our lives in various ways. Based on our findings in this study, the general population in Riyadh displayed an improvement in awareness and care about their general and oral hygiene, especially those in the age group of 20-30 years. Also, the rate of toothbrushing witnessed a positive effect during the pandemic. Some parents focused more on their children's oral hygiene. These findings may well be attributed to the increased awareness gained through social media platforms and partly due to the fear of the potential unavailability of dental facilities during the quarantine period.