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Visiting Your Dentist During and After COVID-19

May 24, 2020

Visiting Your Dentist During and After COVID-19
by in Health Matters 219 Comments

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to visit your dentist when you have a condition that requires attention. Here’s what you can expect when you schedule an appointment. 

For people in states across the US, including states with plans of reopening, there’s no doubt that COVID-19 has changed much of our lives. Most things will take a while before going back to normal, and there are many things that will never go back to being normal. 

However, no matter what stays and what goes, you’ll always need to visit your dentist. While the need to stop the virus has meant the restriction of dental visits to mostly emergency procedures, more and more people will need to see a dentist as the pandemic drags on. Even routine issues can become serious problems without swift dental care or assistance from a professional. 

As more states prepare to relax social distancing measures and resume normal activities, visiting your dentist may become easier. Although, in line with guidance released by states’ dental associations, many things about your visit may change. 

If you have been wondering how going to the dentist’s will work now that states are reopening, this article explains all you should know. 

Appointments with your dentist during COVID-19

Pandemic or no, there are many circumstances in which you will need to see dentists during this period. For those conditions that may be serious enough to warrant a visit to your dentist, it makes the most sense to schedule an appointment as soon as you can. This helps prevent complications arising from delay. 

If you are unsure whether your dentists will be scheduling appointments during this period or what emergencies they will attend to, you should call ahead to know. At Smile League Dental, we have been providing emergency dental services during COVID-19 and continue to do so. If you need swift attention from an emergency dentist in Joliet, call us immediately  or make an appointment online at your convenience 

How do you know what dental issues count as an emergency? As a general rule, if you have severe discomfort in your tooth, teeth or gums, you may have an issue that needs immediate care. Other circumstances that may amount to emergencies include: 

  • Broken, cracked or knocked-out teeth
  • Pain in your tooth, more than one tooth or in your jaw bone
  • Bleeding from your teeth, gum or mouth that does not stop
  • Gum infection that causes pain or swelling 
  • Snipping or adjustment of wire braces that hurt your gums or cheeks

It is also important to keep in mind that there are several usually routine conditions that may become worse or lead to emergencies if not handled on time. For these conditions, delay could be detrimental. For instance 

  • If you were recommended to have regular dental cleaning, delay in seeing a dentist may lead to worsened oral health conditions such as gum disease or periodontal disease. 
  • If you were previously diagnosed with periodontal diseases, you may be at risk of worsened conditions from accumulated tartar. Cavities may become deeper, needing root canal surgery and other expensive remedial treatment. 
  • If you had dental surgery before or during the pandemic, you still need to see your dentist for dressing change, stitch removal and other routine procedures. 

As always, if you are uncertain as to what conditions will need immediate attention, call your dentist for guidance. You can reach us at Smile League Dental on 815-782-6243.

What to expect during your visit 

Due to American Dental Association and states’ dental association guidance, seeing your dentist may be a tad different from before. This guidance is intended to ensure that your dentist appointment can be done in safety and without exposure to the coronavirus. 

As a result, many things will change about your visit. Before your appointment, you may receive a call from your dental office who will ask you certain questions about your health. This will be done to ensure that all patients arriving for appointments are healthy and free of COVID-19. These questions may be repeated when you arrive, to ensure that nothing has changed. Your dentist may request that you limit the number of people that come to the appointment with you. 

When you arrive for your appointment, you may be asked to wait in your car until the dentist is ready for you. This is meant to reduce the amount of time you spend in close contact with other people. You will notice that your dentist will be wearing different protective equipment than they did before the pandemic. 

This will include full personal protective equipment, face shields, respirators and goggles, alongside the routine gloves. The dentist will not use any aerosol creating equipment, to reduce the risk of spreading droplets. These precautions are meant to protect you and the dentist. You may also find that only the minimum number of people required to attend to you will be present during your procedure. 

After your appointment, the staff of your dentist office will thoroughly wipe down the areas where you were attended to. This is to reduce the risk of illness passing to others. 

You will also be advised to contact your dentist office if you become ill with symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days after your appointment. This means you may have been carrying the virus at the time of your appointment and those who came into contact with you at the time may be at risk of getting sick. 

How to maintain safety during your dentist appointment 

Your safety is just as important as your oral health. It is important that you take proper precautions to protect yourself even as you take steps to maintain good oral hygiene. Keep the following in mind: 

  • If you have a fever or are presenting with COVID-19 symptoms but are not acutely sick, postpone all elective procedures. If you have a dental emergency, you may contact your dentist office for directions. 
  • If you are presenting with symptoms and are acutely sick, go to the ER instead of the dental office. 
  • If you are already at your appointment and suspect you have COVID-19, alert the staff immediately. They will take necessary precautions and refer you to a medical facility. 
  • If you have a weak immune system or have underlying medical conditions, avoid the dental office and maintain proper hygiene. You may call your dentist for advice on how you can maintain oral health at this time or if you have an emergency. 
  • Once you have scheduled an appointment, ensure that you wear face masks when coming to your appointment. Keep it on at all times. Ideally, you should only wear a face mask that is effective at limiting exposure to the virus.

Wearing a face mask to your appointment also protects the personnel who will be interacting with you. There are several types of face masks that you can wear, including cloth masks, surgical masks, N95 respirators and above. As a rule, N95 respirators and FFP2 higher respirators are the most effective. 

Contact us as soon as you need help

As you stay safe and maintain social distancing, it is important to also do all you can to maintain good oral hygiene. Do not allow routine conditions to worsen and create bigger problems due to delay. 

If you require the attention of a dentist in Joliet, IL, call our office today or click the link below schedule an appointment.

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