Corona Virus and the Dentist – What to Know, Do and DONT!

In the article we talk about the risks of the Corona virus, going to the dentist, self prevention care, what to do if you show symptoms and how to prevent spreading it to others. 

Corona Virus And The Dentist – The Do’s and Don’ts!

You must already be familiar with (who isnt?) that the Corona virus (Covid-19) is a severe and even fatal pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs). The spread of the Corona virus is now regarded as a pandemic, which means that it is now spread through the whole world, by the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Do you guys remember SARS? Well the current Corona virus may be different from SARS but it shares the same host receptor in the human body formerly known as the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2). The natural host of the Corona virus could be the bat Rhinolophus affinis as the virus showed 96.2% of whole-genome identity to BatCoV RaTG13. Anyways, lets not get into the utter details. So…

What are the person-to-person transmission routes of the Corona virus? 

The most important one is direct transmission, such as; 

• Coughing and sneezing, 
• Droplet inhalation transmission 
• Contact transmission, such as the contact with oral, nasal, and eye mucous membranes.

The Corona virus can also be transmitted through the saliva which is where we as dentists and dental professionals are disposed to a higher risk. 

Dental professionals play great roles in preventing the transmission of the Corona virus. The health care staff in a dental practice are exposed to a greater risk of Corona virus infection due to the face-to-face communication and the exposure to saliva, blood, and other body fluids, and the handling of sharp instruments.

At Regent Dental we will directly advise you on the infection control measures that should be taken during a visit to block the person-to-person transmission routes in dental clinics and hospitals.

If you are experiencing the following symptoms please DO NOT visit your dental clinic as common signs of infection include;

• Respiratory symptoms
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In these current times it is essential to think one extra time and stay at home if you are feeling the slightest of unwellness. As a younger population might be able to handle the disease quite well in most cases, the older population (over 80 years old) is significantly of greater risk. Prevention to spread the corona virus is mainly to prevent the older population of acquiring it. 

We follow the recommendations strictly to prevent infection to spread. You should avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. 

If you have been overseas and especially to the most affected countries you should tell us before your visit. 

If you can answer yes to any of the following questions our dentist can defer the treatment until 14 days after the exposure event. The patient should be instructed to self-quarantine at home and report any fever experience or flu-like syndrome to the local health department. 

• Do you currently have fever or have experience fever within the past 14 days? 
• Have you experienced a recent onset of respiratory problems, e.g. coughing or difficulty in breathing within the past 14 days? 
• Have you, within the past 14 days, traveled to China and its surrounding areas, or visited a country with documented high risk of Corona virus transmission?  
• Have you come into contact with a patient with confirmed Covid-19 infection within the past 14 days? 
• Have you come into contact with people who come from Wuhan city and its surrounding areas, or people from the neighborhood with recent documented fever or respiratory problems within the past 14 days? 
• Are there at least two people with documented experience of fever or respiratory problems within the last 14 days having close contact with you? 
• Have you recently participated in any gathering, meetings, or had close contact with many unacquainted people?

Regent Dental takes serious and delicate precautions in preventing disease spread and keeping our clinic free of any infections. These include;

• Hand hygiene
• Disinfection of the clinic settings
• Personal protective measures for the dental professionals
• Mouthrinse before dental procedures
• Management of medical waste
• Rubber dam isolation
• Anti-retraction handpiece

If you have any questions please call us on 01223 355923 or email at booking(@)regentdental.co.uk

We are always happy to assist you in any questions you have regarding the Corona virus and dental health. 

References:

Transmission routes of 2019-nCoV and controls in dental practice
International Journal of Oral Science volume 12, Article number: 9 (2020):

The World Health Organization