Dear Valued clients
Now we are in the seventh month of Global Pandemic. As a country and as a province we are far better than many other parts of the world. Thanks to our Government, Health Care professionals and all of us for complying with the regulations and stopping the spread of this deadly virus. However with the cases soaring up and a potential second wave of the pandemic, many of you might be getting second thoughts and be skeptical about visiting the Dentist.
Please read the article below and I am sure it will answer lots of your questions and concerns and help you make an informed decision. Your oral health defines your general health and your general health starts from the portal of entry which is your mouth. Please do take it seriously.
YES ITS SAFE TO GO TO THE DENTIST
- There has been no evidence of coronavirus transmission in dental offices since many reopened in May.
- Dentists have universal precautions in place to prevent the transmission of any infectious disease.
- Oral health has a cascading effect on overall health, so it’s important to keep up with your cleanings and preventive dental care.
Some people might be hesitant to visit the dentist during the coronavirus pandemic, especially after the World Health Organization suggested not to in an August announcement.
However, it’s actually a low-risk activity for the patient, said Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security.
“I would be more worried about my dentist than I would myself contracting the virus there,” Adalja told Insider.
Dentists aren’t too concerned either. After the WHO’s recommendation to delay routine dental care in certain situations due to COVID-19, the American Dental Association released a statement saying it “respectfully but strongly disagrees.”
“Our first job is to be sure that our patients are safe,” American Dental Association President Chad Gehani, DDS, told Insider. “If we did not think that the patients were safe, we simply would not go to the office at all. We would not have even done the emergency care in the months of March, April, and May.”
Since mid-May, most dental offices have been open for routine care. During those four months, there has been no evidence of COVID-19 transmission in dental offices, Kami Hoss, DDS, said — “a remarkable track record.”
Along with implementing new screening procedures, dentists have taken steps to clear out their waiting rooms, reduce the potential aerosols created by some dental procedures, install hospital grade air purifiers in all operatories and waiting area and ramp up personal protective equipment worn by dental professionals since reopening.
Dentists treat every patient like they could have every infectious disease.
Dentists have been dealing with the possibility of coming into contact with infectious diseases from HIV to hepatitis since well before the coronavirus pandemic.
As a profession, we are infection control experts,” Hoss said. “We’ve always had to deal with infectious diseases and diseases that are easily transmitted via air, droplets, saliva or through blood.”
It’s already standard practice for dentists and hygienists to wear masks and gloves to decrease their risk of transmitting or contracting diseases, and they’ve only stepped up their PPE since the pandemic, Hoss said.
You won’t find magazines in waiting rooms anytime soon, Back when dental offices closed to non-emergency care in March, the primary concern was transmission in crowded waiting rooms, not during dentist-patient interactions. Hence we only allow patient who has appointment to be in the waiting rooms and no family members to limit the number of people in waiting area.
Oral health affects your overall health, so now is not the time to skip your cleaning.
Much of dental care is preventive in nature, Hoss said, so it’s important to keep up with regular cleanings and not put off filling cavities. Delaying a simple procedure could result in a much more costly, involved operation down the line.
Poor oral hygiene can also have “cascading effects” on other aspects of your health, Adalja said. He said he never advocated for the closure of dental offices during the pandemic because he considers dentistry to be an essential health service.
Studies have shown gum disease is associated with a higher risk of dementia, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis, among other health issues. And according to a pre-print of a study due to be published in the Journal of the California Dental Association next month, COVID-19 patients with gum disease have a higher risk of developing acute respiratory complications and dying.
“During a pandemic, one of the best things we can do is to stay healthy, and staying healthy starts with our oral health,” Hoss said.
So have faith and complete peace of mind when visiting Dr Salim Kapadia Dental Centre. We are committed to provide you with exceptional, safe and satisfactory Dental Experience.
Dr Salim Kapadia and Team.