Coronavirus pandemic has affected the world in many ways, including dental care facilities. In some countries, clinics have been closed or have been attending to emergency cases only. However, in some countries, dental clinics are still providing dental services. Most dental procedures require close contact with patient mouths. Coronavirus is primarily transmitted to people through respiratory droplets, consisting of saliva or mucus and other matter derived from respiratory tract surfaces. Therefore, it is advisable that all patients visiting dental clinics must be treated with proper precautions. The following are dental procedures and guidelines in dental visits during COVID-9.
1. Patient management
Telephone screening for all patients is encouraged during this pandemic. This helps categories the patient’s case, which can either be urgent or emergency. If a patient requires priority care, but it doesn’t increase the patient’s death risk it’s categorized as urgent. If a condition increases, the patient’s death risks are categorized as an emergency. However, some cases require phone advice even without being seen in a dental setting. Only pre-appointed patients, whose procedures are known through the previous teleconsultation, should visit the dental clinic. On arrival all patients and those accompanying them should observe the following:
• Should have a face mask on
• Have the body temperature checked
• Use sanitizer on the entrance
• Maintain social distancing.
Research has shown that the COVID 19 viruses can survive in the environment and surfaces for several days. Therefore, after the patient has left the reception, it is recommended that the seats be swabbed with an alcohol-based rub.
2. Sterilization and disinfection of patient-care items
As per WHO guidelines, the doctor is required to have full personal protective equipment. After contact with any patients, they must maintain hand hygiene that might have been transmitted with bare hands during the removal of the gloves. It is also recommended to wait for about 10 to 15 minutes after a patient has left the procedure room to disinfect and clean the room surfaces. After the patient has left the treatment room, you should collect all hand instruments and rinse them through running water. After each treatment, rinse suction tubes and suction system.
All water outlets and sinks should be flushed with disinfectant. The dental chair should be swabbed with clean cotton and a 1% hypochlorite. Mob the floor with sodium hypochlorite and water, then rinse the mob and let it sundry. If emergency dental care is necessary for a patient who has COVID-9, the treatment room should be individual, and the door should be closed. Dental procedure and guidelines in a dental visit during Covid-19 should be maintained. The patient should be scheduled as the last patient at the end of the day, and you should not schedule another patient after that. After the patient has left, the room should be thoroughly disinfected to avoid transmission of the disease.
For more information, please call to make an appointment at our Gladstone, MO Dental Office.
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