Dental teams are asked to identify the potential risks in their area to provide care to patients after they were asked to stop non-urgent visits and surgeries after the COVID-19 outbreak. Here’s what you need to know about dental care during COVID-19.
Visit at the dentist’s office- Is it safe?
There is a chance that you come in contact with a virus whenever you leave your home. But healthcare workers are following the safety guidelines. The tools should be sterilized regularly, and the hands should be washed frequently by the dentist and other people working with the healthcare worker. But the dental care service’s office you go can do more than that to prevent the virus’s spread. They can:
- Disinfect surface and tools often
- Clean, replace, and cover tools between uses
- Wear more protective gear than usual
- Cover the mouth with the help of a mask.
They can also:
- Space out appointments
- Make a call to you asking you about your health before the appointment
- Check your temperature and other symptoms
- Require you to wear a face mask
- Ask about your recent travel
- Enquire if you have been in contact with any person who has been tested positive for COVID-19
- Tell you not to arrive early
- Ask you to limit the number of people you bring with you, such as children
- Ask you to wait outside until your appointment number has not been called out
- Ensure a gap of six feet between the chairs in the waiting room to maintain social distancing
- Removing all the things which are commonly touched by people, like magazines or toys, etc
Things to consider before going to dental care service’s office
The COVID-19 mostly spreads through the tiny respiratory droplets. When you cough or sneeze, they fly in the air. Other people can get sick if they breathe it. The virus is also present in the mucus and saliva of the mouth and throat. Most dental offices have high vacuum sections and air purifiers to clear the air to prevent virus from transmission.
Emergency Treatment: What is it?
As per the American Dental Association’s recommendation, emergency treatments comprise those dental care services that should be treated on an urgent basis because they can be life-threatening, cause severe pain, or are at a very high risk of infection. If the procedure required is an emergency is not is generally determined by your dentists and may include:
- Serious pain
- Bleeding that won’t stop
- Tissue that needs a biopsy
- Swelling of areas which is in or around the mouth, like gum, face, or neck
- A broken tooth that is causing pain or has caused tissue damage
- Signs of infection (pain and swelling)
- Post-surgery care you can’t do yourself
- A temporary crown that’s lost or broken
- Dental work related to cancer treatment
- Dentures that don’t work the right way
- Wires in your braces that hurt
- Traumas that might have in some way affected your ability to breathe
It is always better to call your dentist if it is okay to come for an appointment or wait. If the dental problem is too much to bear and the dentist is unable to see you at the moment, it is better to go and get yourself checked in an urgent care department. Going to the emergency room is not recommended unless your dentist is not available.
Ensure your dentist that you are coronavirus positive or if you have the slightest doubt that you might have it before you go to the dental office for your appointment. The most common symptoms include fever, cough, and short breath. In such cases, they will make sure that they take all the necessary measures to stop the spread of the virus further from you. Your doctor can put you on antibiotics to control oral infection until you recover from coronavirus.
Wrapping up
Above are the shared few tips and precautions to be taken care of for dental care during COVID-19. Follow these tips to protect yourself from getting in contact with the virus. If you are looking for safe dental care, feel free to book an appointment with TruCare Dentistry.