Safe Dentistry in the time of Covid-19 in America
No doubt, these are interesting times for dentistry and dental care. Consider this: The coronavirus is present in the respiratory system in affected patients, exactly in the area where dental work takes place. The challenge is to provide necessary dental work, while keeping health care personnel and patients safe.
Should I get routine dental care in the pandemic?
The World Health Organization recommended that routine dental care should be postponed during the pandemic, but the American Dental Association issued a disagreement statement.
There are always various dental needs that are important to attend to. Dental cleanings help to maintain oral health, which contributes to overall health. Removing decay can help prevent the need for root canal therapy or extractions.
Fortunately as of a few months ago, there is no documented case of a patient contracting Covid-19 from a visit to the dentist. The recommended
guidelines from government agencies and the American Dental Association have been helpful in accomplishing this.
Is it safe to receive dental work with Covid 19?
Our intention is to keep you safe and provide the dental care you need!
Here’s a few of the changes we have instituted in my office:
- Limiting the number of patients in the waiting room as close to 0 as possible.
- Extensive cleaning of all surfaces, both in the business area as well as the treatment area.
- Head protection including wearing 2 masks, one of which is the N95 mask, plus face shields and hair coverings.
- Hepa filter air purifiers in all of the treatment rooms.
- A rinse with hydrogen peroxide prior to any examination or treatment.
- Disposable attire for treatments.
Dentistry is quick to make recommendations for improvements in personal protection. My guess is that these improvements will continue to be recommended once the Covid disappears if that were to happen. Who can predict when some other virus may come along which requires at least this level of protection? The biggest inconvenience is the fogging up of my eyeglasses behind the 2 masks and a shield. This is a small price to pay to provide the necessary protection, so I can keep serving my patients.