The COVID-19 effect: number of patients presenting to The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals OMFS team with dental infections before and during The COVID-19 outbreak

This paper investigates the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak and closure of dental practices on the frequency and severity of dental infections presenting in our emergency department. We compared the mean number of daily ED referrals for dental abscesses in the two weeks prior to and following the Chief Dental Officer ’s statement advising general dental practitioners to cease routine appointments, the mean number decreased from 1 to 0.37. In contrast, the severity and requirement for admission of these infections rose from 35% to 80%.
Source: The British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Tags: Short communication Source Type: research