**1. Introduction**

Coronavirus disease is referred to as "COVID-19" and is caused by a novel respiratory virus [1] and this single-stranded RNA virus belongs to a Coronaviridae family [2,3]. It was transmitted initially from animal-to-human and then human-to-human [1,4]. The governments and public health organizations have adopted numerous measures worldwide to improve awareness, raise knowledge, and increase preventive practice to control COVID-19 transmission [5,6]. It originated from China at the end of the year 2019 and subsequently circulated globally [7]. The first positive case reported of COVID-19 was by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 2nd March 2020. Eventually, the number of positive cases was accelerated in a month, and it has become a big challenge for healthcare

**Citation:** Alassaf, A.; Almulhim, B.; Alghamdi, S.A.; Mallineni, S.K. Perceptions and Preventive Practices Regarding COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak and Oral Health Care Perceptions during the Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Survey from Saudi Arabia. *Healthcare* **2021**, *9*, 959. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare9080959

Academic Editors: Manoj Sharma and Kavita Batra

Received: 11 July 2021 Accepted: 22 July 2021 Published: 29 July 2021

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professionals [7]. As of 31 December 2020, 362,714 cases were registered in Saudi Arabia [8]. The government authorities of Saudi Arabia have focused on precautionary measures with general population interest [9]. These include lockdown, airport and border surveillance, quarantine of suspicious and infected patients, and infection control training for healthcare workers [10]. In addition, public places are at potential risk of spreading COVID-19 to family and friends, and colleagues [11]. Therefore, it became essential that the public know the disease and preventive practices suggested by health authorities. COVID-19 transmits through air droplets, contaminated surfaces, mucus membranes and secretions from the nose or mouth, or eyes, and close contact with infected persons [12,13]. COVID-19 cases are usually symptomatic; however, recently, asymptomatic patients have also been reported, which has become a significant concern for health care professionals. Dry cough, fatigue, fever, dyspnea, and myalgia, commonly reported symptoms in COVID-19 positive individuals. Subsequently, an Italian study reported that there will be an alteration in smell and taste in individuals with COVID-19 [14]. Additional observed symptoms include abdominal pain, headache, diarrhea, and sore throat. The severe stage of COVID-19 is characterized by septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, bleeding, coagulation disorders, and metabolic acidosis [15,16].

The world health organization (WHO) recommends specific preventive personal hygiene measures, including using face masks, repeated handwashing with water and soap, using hand sanitizers, avoiding touching mouth, eyes, and nose frequently, cleanliness, and social distancing well as careful handling of purchased products. These measures are very strictly acclaimed to control the spread of COVID-19 disease and to protect the people from this pandemic. Nevertheless, a lack of understanding of the COVID-19 risk factors among people has been observed worldwide [10,17]. People's understanding and adherence to preventive measures play an essential part in controlling the contraction of COVID-19 [9]. Di Lorenzo and Di Trolio [16] opined that strict obedience to the rules proposed by health authorities might be useful in avoiding the transmission of COVID-19. This tractability depends on their awareness, perception, and preventive practice factors. Hence, there is a need for a survey to check for the perception, preventive practice, and oral health care perceptions in Saudi Arabia. Oral health care professionals are at potential risk of acquiring COVID-19 because most dental procedures are aerosol generated [5,13,18]. It also impacted the people whether to seek dental treatment during this COVID-19 pandemic or not. Nonetheless, there is no data available on the oral health care perceptions of the Saudi Arabian population. However, lack of awareness and inadequate understanding of the people at risk has led to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak of this disease, resulting in colossal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Henceforth, the study was aimed to evaluate perceptions and preventive practices regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and oral health care perceptions during the lockdown: a population-based cross-sectional survey from Saudi Arabia.
