Dental and Oral Health in the Pandemic Period
Is It Risky To Go To The Dentist During The Covid-19 Period?
As we know, dentistry is a profession practiced at close range (about 20 cm). Considering the ways of transmission of the corona virus, especially mouth secretions are very likely to spread around. We do our best to improve the conditions for our patients by preventing this situation at the maximum level with the special precautions we take in our clinic. Coming to your appointments on time and unaccompanied will reduce the risk of crowding.
What Are The Clinical Measures That Can Be Taken To Reduce The Risk Of Covid-19 Transmission?
First of all, the precautions start from the moment the patient enters the clinic. Hand disinfection is carried out at the entrance of the outpatient clinic. When the patient arrives at the admissions department, a temperature measurement is taken from the wrist area. HES code registration information is received. It is ensured that the patient waits in the waiting room in accordance with the social distance rules. When the appointment time comes, the patient is taken to the clinic department with a mask and unaccompanied. The mask is definitely not taken off until the patient explains his/her complaint and start the intraoral examination. Dentists and assistants start the operation with all of the necessary equipment such as shoe covers, surgical gowns, glasses, bonnets, masks and face shields. The patient is asked to put on the mask after the treatment is over. The environment is prepared for the next patient by performing in-clinic disinfection and ventilation processes.
What Are The Ways And Risk Of Covid-19 Transmission In The Dental Clinic?
Corona virus is transmitted through droplets containing disease-causing amount of virus taken through the eyes, nose and mouth. Therefore, droplets emitted during the treatment of a patient with corona virus may pose a risk of transmission to the dentist, assistant or the next patient if the necessary precautions are not taken. If it is considered the aerosol effect in the dentist's working environment, the droplets mixed with the air can stay in the air for about 3 hours. In this case, the risk of infection increases. This risk can be minimized with necessary ventilation and aerosol absorbing systems. Our clinic continues its work by taking all precautions. At the same time, we reduce the risk of transmission to another patient by using disposable materials and ensuring the disinfection of the environment under appropriate conditions during the treatments.
What Can I Do In Terms Of Oral And Dental Health To Be Protected From Covid-19?
You should definitely not neglect your toothbrushing and flossing. At the same time, you can reduce the risk of contamination by using mouthwash containing 1% hydrogen peroxide (oxygenated water) or 0.2% povidone iodine (batticon) after your visits to crowded environments.
What Kind Of Precautions Do You Take In Your Clinic Apart From Routine Precautions?
Dentistry is a profession group where the risk of transmission is high not only in the Covid-19 period, but also against all diseases transmitted by droplets and blood. For this reason, every patient is considered as potentially infected for us. It has been inevitable to take our measures higher during the epidemic period we are in. Apart from our personal precautions, there are aerosol absorbers in each of our clinics to reduce the aerosol effect. By using a mouth curtain, which we call rubber-dam, during the treatment of patients, we prevent the spread of nearly 70% of the particles coming out of the mouth. At the end of the day, we disinfect the clinic interiors with ozone gas released by UV rays. In addition to all these, we reduce the activity of the virus with devices that emit chlorine dioxide gas, placed in strategic areas of the clinic during the day. We constantly ventilate the clinic interiors through the ventilation system. Your health is our health.