The impact of COVID-19 on the oral health self-care practices of Australian adults

Aim Grounded in Andersen's Behavioral Model (ABM), this study aims to explore the network of causal relationships between those factors influencing oral health self-management behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.Subject and methods Data were obtained from the Australian population. Participants (N = 565) aged between 19 and 91 years (M = 54.50, SD = 16.16) provided online responses between June 2021 and May 2022. The majority of participants were female (60.9%), employed either full-time (37.65%) or part-time (22.02%), and had completed an undergraduate degree or higher (70.1%). We implemented a triangulated approach, utilizing multiple modeling methodologies including the Gaussian graphical model (GGM), directed acyclic graph (DAG), and structural equation modeling (SEM). These methodologies were employed in three predetermined stages using a single cross-sectional dataset.Results A causal model elucidating the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral health self-management behavior was uncovered. The resulting GGM displayed an acceptable fit to the observed data. The DAG structure conformed to that expected by ABM, with all directed edges being also present as edges in the GGM. The subsequent SEM model specified by the DAG provided excellent fit to the data.Conclusion Our study offers empirical evidence that factors such as appointment availability, dental care affordability, and the opportunity to engage in oral health discussions with individuals other than dentists during the pandemic directly contributed to inadequate oral health self-care.