Our surgery is open for dental treatment during this lockdown period. Any emergency treatment will be a priority, while other urgent treatment will be addressed on a case by case basis.
Since the corona virus outbreak was declared a pandemic several dental care facilities have been completely closed or have been only providing minimal treatment for emergency cases. Several facilities are still providing regular dental treatment. Ceasing dental care provision during this period will increase the burden on hospitals’ emergency departments.
The asymptomatic incubation period of the virus is estimated to be between 2 and 12 days; The most common symptoms of corona virus disease are fever, tiredness, dry cough and shortness of breath. More than 80% of cases are mild and recover from the disease without needing special treatment. However, around 15% of cases are categorised as severely ill and the remaining 5% are categorised as critically ill. In severe and critical cases, acute respiratory disease can lead to pneumonia, kidney failure, and even death.
Human-to-human transmission is believed to be mainly via saliva, associated respiratory droplets and contact transmission.
Virus can remain viable and infectious in aerosols for at least three hours and on surfaces for days . Transmission from asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers is also a possibility
Transmission and dental treatment
Given the high transmissibility of the disease, and considering that routine dental procedures usually generate aerosols, we have adapted our treatment protocols to maintain a healthy environment for the patients and the dental team
Considering that this COVID-19 pandemic could last for an extended period we have decided to provide the necessary dental treatment for our patients.
Closing dental practices during the pandemic can reduce the number of affected individuals, but will increase the suffering of the individuals in need of urgent dental care. It will also incense the burden on hospitals emergency departments.
We have taken into account several factors during the pandemic:
- Safety and health of our patients and staff. Please wear your mask into the surgery and make use of the hand sanitiser on the reception desk.
- The incubation period of the virus (14 days).
- Transmission from asymptomatic carriers is possible.
- Aerosol transmission
- The need for urgent and routine dental care.
With the above in mind we have undertaken to:
- Screen all patient at the first point of contact, either telephonically or on arrival for symptoms, recent contact with infected persons, recent travel to disease epicentre etc.
- Consider every patient to be a potential asymptomatic carrier and approach our sterilisation/sanitation procedures accordingly.
- Identify the required dental treatment for each patient and the risks and benefits associated with that treatment.
- Use contact and airborne precautions such as disposable items where possible, pre treatment mouth rinses, masks and face screens, safety glasses for patients, rigorous cleaning and sanitation of hard surfaces, sterilisation of re usable instruments etc. Most of these procedures were routine in our surgery before the pandemic but we have re-enforced our protocols.
- Treatment on active or recently recovered cases will only be considered after consultation with their physician and may have to have treatment delayed or referred to a specialist unit.
- Pain relief with Ibuprofen to be avoided.
- Any treatment will be considered by emergency, urgent need, routine as well as consideration to risk and benefit to the patient.
In conclusion we would like to wish everyone good health and a speedy recovery to a normal life.
