Access to oral health in primary care before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Abstract

This study compared the access to oral health in primary care, before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. An observational study with a cross-sectional ecological design was carried out, using data from the Health Information System for Primary Care (SISAB). Data regarding the number of Oral Health Teams (OHT), Oral Health Coverage in Primary Care (OHC), number of First Programmatic Dental Consultations (FPDC), and number of visits due to dental abscess and toothache were collected. Data were collected by state as consolidated of the first quarter (January to April) of 2019 and of 2020. The median of the difference (MD) and the percentage of variation (%V) were obtained for each variable. Data were compared by Wilcoxon test (α<0,05). An increase in the number of OHT was observed in 25 states (MD=45, %V=6.13%, p<0.001), whilst the OHC increased in 17 states (MD=1.01, %V=1.62%, p=0.035) between the 2019 and 2020. We also verified a significant reduction in the number of FPDC (MD=- 42,806, %V=-38.70%, p<0.001), as well as in the number of visits due to dental abscess (MD=-1,032, % V=-29.04%, p=0.002) and due to toothache (MD=-14,445, %V=-32.68%, p<0.001). Although an expansion of OHT and OHC between 2019 and 2020 was verified, access to oral health in primary care has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on behavioural and psychosocial factors related to oral health in adolescents: A cohort study

“…Regarding the use of dental services, the demand for adolescent care decreased by approximately 50%, which is in line with the previous literature 7,8 . The recommended social distance due to the pandemic has been shown to significantly impact the demand for dental services, as well as the degree of anxiety experienced by patients 7,21 .…”

“…Recently published studies have shown changes in the behavioural pattern of individuals subjected to confinement during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The demand and use of dental services showed a reduction of 38% at the beginning of the pandemic, which was also observed in access to primary oral health care in the Brazilian environment 7,8 . Eating habits have undergone somewhat contradictory changes.…”

Pandemia do novo Coronavírus e o funcionamento dos serviços odontológicos no Brasil: um seguimento de quatro meses

“…Entre 2019 e 2020, houve aumento do número de equipes de saúde bucal em 25 estados e da cobertura em 17 estados, entretanto, comparando-se o primeiro quadrimestre desses dois anos, verificou-se redução significativa no número e cobertura das primeiras consultas odontológicas programáticas e de atendimentos devido a abscesso dento-alveolar e dor de dente (Lucena et al, 2020). Pode-se atribuir essa redução à pandemia tendo em vista a suspensão dos atendimentos eletivos no SUS desde março, diferentes formas de organização dos atendimentos de urgência, bem como de menor acesso e provimento dos EPIs e à própria mudança de comportamento dos usuários na busca pelos serviços (Lucena et al, 2020). Também foi observada uma redução de 65,6% na média de consultas clínicas odontológicas no setor público no Brasil, representando mais de 21 mil consultas clínicas, comparando o período de 2015 a 2019 com o ano de 2020 (Marques et al, 2020).…”

Contribuição para uma agenda de atenção básica de saúde em tempos de pandemia de Covid-19

“…Observou-se que o acesso à saúde bucal na atenção básica foi reduzido em 2020, fenômeno que, provavelmente, irá impactar negativamente os dados epidemiológicos de saúde bucal no Brasil (LUCENA et al, 2020).…”