Dentistry in the time of Coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways. The routine access to health care in general has been changed, and this includes access to dental care services.
Pediatric Dentists are no longer allowed to provide any dental services that are not considered emergency such as:
- Regular dental check-up
- Xrays
- Scheduled fluoride application sessions
- Routine teeth cleaning
- Fixing any cosmetic problem
- Follow ups of braces or orthodontic appliances
In order to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
What caused these current restrictions of Pediatric dental care services ?
When pediatric dentist work on your child’s teeth, droplets or sprays of saliva or blood are produced in the air. This happens routinely whenever the dentist uses a drill or during routine cleansing sessions.
Although all pediatric dentists are used to following very strict infection control precautions under normal circumstances to lower the risk of transmission of any infectious disease, to keep both patients and dentists safe. But with the coronavirus pandemic, there is an increased risk of aerosols carrying the virus either directly infecting dental staff, or landing on surfaces, which staff or the next patient can touch. Moreover, this transmission may be possible even if you feel perfectly well, as not everyone with the virus develop symptoms. That’s why you should plan your child’s dental visit wisely amid the current situation in order to help your pediatric dentist focus only on emergency dental care.
What at are the emergency conditions where my child should see his pediatric dentist?
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry most recent guidelines, your child should see his pediatric dentist if he is suffering from any of the following :
- Pain in tooth or jaw bone
- Painful swelling in the mouth, face, or neck
- Gum infection that includes swelling or pain
- Post dental surgery care such as dressing change or stitches removal
- Accident or trauma to teeth or mouth
- Broken or knocked out teeth
- Braces wire or orthodontic appliance that hurts cheek or gum
What if I’m not sure whether my child’s condition is emergency or not?
You should call your pediatric dentist. Most of the pediatric dentists I know, including me, are happily willing to answer all your questions and concerns, and we are doing our best to conduct phone consultations as much as possible and will advise you whether your child condition requires an actual visit to the dental practice or can be postponed.
What to expect when visiting the pediatric dentist amid the Coronavirus Pandemic?
- The pediatric dentist will take your child’s temperature
- Ask you questions about whether they have travelled recently or if they are experiencing any symptoms
- Ask if you’ve been around people with COVID-19
- Tell you not to arrive early
- Place waiting room chairs 6 feet apart (social distancing)
- Space out appointments
What can I do to maintain my child’s teeth healthy in meantime since we can’t go for regular check ups ?
Keep your child’s dental hygiene as flawless as possible with regular brushing twice daily and following a teeth friendly diet, as we discussed before, so please check our previous articles on child’s dental health care.
We are all in this together. So, please cooperate, be patient and don’t hesitate to tell your dentist if you think your child has any slight symptoms that might be of COVID-19.
Stay safe ☺
References:
Guidelines of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)
