The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine health care in unprecedented ways, forcing providers and patients alike to delay or forgo preventive services. At the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Dental Medicine, those disruptions allowed a team of oral health and informatics researchers to better understand what happens when routine periodontal maintenance is paused, and what those findings mean moving forward.
In a retrospective study in the Journal of Periodontology, researchers examined the oral health outcomes of 279 patients whose periodontal maintenance therapy (PMT) schedules were interrupted during the pandemic. Their findings offer a clear takeaway: Even temporary gaps in preventive care can lead to measurable declines in oral health.
"The longer the patients went without maintenance care, the more their teeth and gums were affected, from increased buildup of bacteria to tooth loss," said Chandrasekaran, professor and chair of the Division of Periodontics at CU Anschutz Dental.
While the pandemic itself has receded, its lessons remain highly relevant, particularly as providers and patients work to reinforce consistent, prevention-focused care habits.
Why periodontal maintenance matters
