Health changes during Covid-19: a nationwide study with dental students.

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Psychological impact of pandemics
• Public health

Background:

• The Covid-19 pandemic significantly altered daily life globally.
• Dental students faced unique challenges impacting their well-being and habits.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for student support and future public health initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess perceived changes in stress, social behavior, diet, parafunctional habits, and oral hygiene among Brazilian dental students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• To evaluate correlations between stress levels and other reported changes.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire was administered to 638 dental students across Brazil.
• Data collected included perceived changes in stress, finances, social factors, diet, oral hygiene, health, and parafunctional habits.
• Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon and Spearman correlation tests (α = 0.05).

Main Results:

• Reported stress levels increased, while household income decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.05).
• Frequency of late dinners and mindless eating increased; oral hygiene decreased (p < 0.05).
• Higher stress correlated with lower income (rS = -0.14), financial pressure (rS = 0.19), and increased meal frequency (rS = 0.15) (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Brazilian dental students experienced significant perceived changes in stress, diet, oral hygiene, and social behavior during the pandemic.
• Stress levels were associated with socioeconomic factors and dietary patterns.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support dental students' well-being.