Blog

Do's and Donts for your next Dental Visit during Covid-19 Pandemic

Do's and Donts for your next Dental Visit during Covid-19 Pandemic

  • Posted: 06 June 2020
  • By: Blog by Dr Shayoni Patel Neo Smile Dental Clinic

As we all know, we are in the middle of Covid-19 pandemic and it has changed our routine life at every levels. This also holds true for dental visits or any other medical facility for that matter. We need to be more careful, responsible and vigilant to stop the spread as much as possible.

Here are few guidelines to follow and things to expect while visiting a dental clinic during this time:

Do's
1-1
1. Tele Consultation

Consulting your dentist on phone before visiting the clinic is the new normal. Your dentist can then decide whether to go for an emergency treatment or it can wait for the time being.

1-2
2. Take Prior Appointment

From the safety point of view, prior appointment is necessary so that there is no waiting in the clinic area and contact with other patients. Avoid walk-in visits if possible. You may also be asked to wait in the parking or car before entering the clinic, for giving time to sanitize the clinic after prior patient leaves.

You may also be asked history of past 14 days on phone before your appointment. For example: any history of fever, cough, cold in last 14 days, travel history, any illness in particular, area of residence, etc.

This history is necessary for the safety of all medical personnel as well as other patients. You will be asked to fill consent form regarding Covid-19.

3. Inside Clinic

You will be given hand sanitizer before entering the clinic and asked to remove your shoes. Your body temperature will be checked by infra-red thermometers. Mask will be compulsory till you sit in dental chair. You will be asked to rinse your mouth with Betadine or Chlorhexidine mouth wash.

1-3
1-4

 

4. Treatment options

It is best to avoid any Aerosol generating procedures like routine Teeth cleaning and Root Canal treatments for the time being. Aerosols are tiny droplets which can contain virus in the air, generated from the patient's mouth, while doing certain dental procedures.

Aerosols remain in the air for several hours! It can risk spread and infection to other patients and staff. However, not all dental procedures produce aerosols.

Depending on the severity of your condition and absolute requirement, dentist will take a decision. Red zone or orange zone areas will also be taken into consideration.

1-5
Don'ts!

  • 1. Do not visit dental clinic without prior appointment.

  • 2. Try not to touch any surface in the clinic area. Avoid most commonly touched surfaces like chair handles, magazines, etc. Make use of hand sanitizers.

  • 3. Avoid touching your tooth while sitting on the dental chair. Verbally show your dentist which tooth or area is paining.

  • 4. Avoid using wash rooms in clinic. Brush and rinse before you come.

  • 5. Avoid dental visit if you are not well or any person in contact with you has Covid symptoms. Tele-consultation will help.



All these basic precautions are taken for the safety of patients and health care personnel to prevent cross- contamination of Covid-19 at all levels. With the advent of newer technologies and extensive research, we will definitely successfully be able to perform all dental procedures at zero risk from Covid-19.