Publication date: Sep 24, 2025
The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on oral health in individuals with depression remains unclear. This study aimed to assess changes in clinically diagnosed depression and identify oral health-related factors contributing to depression before and after COVID-19 using nationally representative data from South Korea. This cross-sectional study used Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) data from 2019 (pre-COVID-19) and 2021 (post-COVID-19). Participants were stratified by physician-diagnosed depression status. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to identify oral health-related predictors of depression, adjusting for age, sex, BMI, systemic health, and socioeconomic variables. The weighted prevalence of physician-diagnosed depression rose from 4. 44% in 2019 to 5. 11% in 2021. Oral health issues, including toothache, chewing discomfort, chewing problem severity, and unmet dental care needs, were consistently worse in those with depression in both years. Unmet dental care needs rose from 29. 4% to 40. 5%, and chewing discomfort from 26. 3% to 27. 6% after the pandemic. Toothache and chewing problem severity were significantly associated with depression in both 2019 (OR: 1. 48 and 1. 25; 95% CI: 1. 09-2. 01 and 1. 10-1. 41) and 2021 (OR: 1. 51 and 1. 18; 95% CI: 1. 01-2. 27 and 1. 01-1. 36). Unmet dental care needs were a significant predictor only in 2021 (OR: 1. 44; 95% CI: 1. 00-2. 07). These findings persisted after adjusting for systemic diseases and socioeconomic factors. This study highlights persistent disparities in oral health among individuals with depression before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea. These findings suggest the need for public health strategies that incorporate oral health into broader mental health frameworks, especially in pandemic contexts.
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus | COVID-19 |
| Korea | Dental |
| Nutrition | Depression |
| Physician | KNHANES |
| Toothache | Mental health |
| Oral health |