Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40038593›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2025

Effects of Covid-19 pandemic on nutritional habits, lifestyle changes and dental trauma frequency of children with autism: a cross-sectional study.

Hulya Cerci Akcay, Duygu Safci, Yelda Kasimoglu, Gamze Aren, Recep Guloğlu, Murat Coskun, Yaşar Tanir, Meryem Merve Oren, Arzu Pinar Erdem

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Hulya Cerci AkcayDepartment of Pedodontics, Kocaeli Health and Technology University Faculty of Dentistry, Kocaeli, Türkiye, Turkey. hlycrc@gmail.com.
Duygu SafciDepartment of Pedodontics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Yelda KasimogluDepartment of Pedodontics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Gamze ArenDepartment of Pedodontics, Istinye University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Recep GuloğluDepartment of Surgical Medical Science, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Murat CoskunDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Yaşar TanirDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Meryem Merve OrenDepartment of Public Health, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.
Arzu Pinar ErdemDepartment of Pedodontics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkey.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted daily routines and lifestyle habits, affecting the psychological well-being and dietary habits of individuals, especially children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aims to evaluate the susceptibility of children with ASD to changes in nutritional habits, lifestyle, and dental trauma during the pandemic related with oral health and compare them with healthy children.

methodsThis study, conducted at Istanbul University, involves children aged 3-14 diagnosed with ASD at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and healthy children who visited the Department of Pedodontics. Parents provide written informed consent, and a questionnaire covering various aspects of their child's health and habits is used. Intraoral examinations are conducted for both groups, recording any trauma history or signs, and evaluating possible causes and risk factors. All data were obtained and analysed by SPSS software program version 23.0 with descriptive statistics calculation, Chi square test, Kolmogorov Smirnov, the Mann-Whitney U test, t test and McNemar test was used with p value fixed at 0.05.

resultsThe results show significant differences between children with ASD and the control group in terms of dental health. Children with ASD had lower dmft and DMFT indices, indicating better dental health (p = 0.005). However, the frequency of dental trauma was similar between the groups (p = 0.685). Additionally, the control group exhibited more significant changes in dietary habits during the pandemic, with a higher tendency for snacking throughout the day (p = 0.027). During lockdowns, parents of children with ASD were statistically more likely to provide junk food when their child was irritable (p < 0.001). Changes in physical activity levels also differed, with a more pronounced decrease in the control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, children with ASD experienced a statistically significant higher rate of disruption in daily routines and inability to participate in social activities and courses (p < 0,001).

conclusionThis study sheds light on the unique challenges faced by children with ASD, particularly in terms of dental health and related behaviors. It underscores the importance of interventions to ensure optimal oral health outcomes for this population, especially during periods of disruption like the Covid-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderCOVID-19Feeding BehaviorLife StyleTooth InjuriesAdolescentCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesDMF IndexFemaleHumansMaleOral HealthPandemicsAutism spectrum disorderCovid-19Dental traumaDmftDMFTLifestyle changesNutritional habitsOral health behaviors

Identifiers

PMID40038593
PMCPMC11877841

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.