Oral Health Interventions in Natural Disasters: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Objectives: This work aimed to identify, appraise, and summarize existing knowledge about oral health interventions in the context of natural disasters and verify the main research gaps.

Methods: We searched in PubMed (National Library of Medicine, Maryland, USA), EMBASE (Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Epistemonikos (Epistemonikos Foundation, Santiago, Chile) until 2021 for primary studies and systematic reviews, assessing any oral health intervention in the context of natural disasters. The interventions were classified according to Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care (EPOC) categories, and the type of natural disaster was defined according to the classification by the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).

Results: We assessed a total of 19 studies (majorly in Japan, n = 8), all performed in the context of an earthquake or mixed natural disasters (earthquake and tsunami). Regarding interventions, 12 studies reported a promotional/ preventive intervention, with oral examination being the most frequent. 7 studies reported therapeutic interventions, mainly related to emergency management of fractures and injuries.

Conclusions: The evidence accessed in our study was limited, highlighting the need for further research to focus on different oral health care interventions and outcomes in the context of different natural disasters, thus enhancing the formulation and implementation of recommendations and protocols worldwide.

Keywords: Dentistry; Natural Disasters; Oral Health.