Post-COVID-19 Trends in Dental Emergencies: A Two-Year Retrospective Study from Romania

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Dental emergencies significantly impact public oral health, particularly in the post-COVID-19 context. This study aimed to analyze the patterns of dental emergencies presenting to the Emergency Dental Service in Bihor, Romania, during the years 2022 and 2023, focusing on demographic characteristics and the frequency of diagnoses. Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records from the Emergency Dental Service at Oradea County Emergency Clinical Hospital was conducted. Inclusion criteria encompassed patients presenting with dental emergencies during the specified period. Data regarding demographics, diagnoses, and living environments were collected and statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 4769 patients were analyzed, with acute pulpitis (39.2%, n = 1869) and acute apical periodontitis (37.5%, n = 1788) identified as the most common diagnoses. The study population included 52.3% males and 47.7% females, with a larger proportion residing in urban areas (58.0%) compared with rural areas (42.0%). Significant age-related patterns were evident: pulpitis was more common among patients aged 10-39 years, trauma was associated with patients aged 0-9 years, and gingival infections were prevalent in the 70-79 age group. Diagnoses also varied by dentition type, with abscesses, caries, trauma, and rhizolysis occurring more frequently in deciduous teeth, while pulpitis and post-extraction alveolitis were predominant in permanent teeth. However, no statistically significant differences were found in diagnosis frequency between genders or between rural and urban patients, indicating equitable access to emergency services across environments. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions in pediatric populations to address early childhood caries, which remains a significant burden. Enhanced public health strategies and preventive education are essential to mitigate the prevalence of dental emergencies, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Romania; dental emergencies; post-COVID-19.

Figure 1

Distribution of patients by age.

Figure 2

Distribution of patients by diagnoses.