The sting of a toothache or the discovery of a cavity is a universal dread. Dental caries, more commonly known as tooth decay, is an insidious adversary, taking a toll on millions of mouths worldwide. Caries can lead to pain, tooth loss, infection, and in severe cases, even death.

New research from Delta Dental on oral healthcare during the Covid-19 pandemic, published recently by the Journal of the American Dental Association, reported a significant decrease in the provision of preventive oral healthcare services when compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Students at the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine created free face shields and comfort bands as a type of personal protective equipment (PPE) with 3D printers that were eventually used by some 3,000 dental professionals in university centres across the US.

According to the Council of Dentists in Spain, bruxism is the dental diagnosis that has increased the most since the pandemic, almost quadrupling.