Covid-19 has interrupted many things – school, birthdays, work, weddings-including a visit to the dentist. Across the nation, dental offices are postponing dental treatments because the American Dental Association (ADA) and Center of Disease Control (CDC) have asked all dental offices to stop non-urgent visits and surgeries. But why?
There are many things we are finding out about the coronavirus. What we do know, so far, is that it is spread by respiratory droplets or “aerosols.” If someone breathes in these droplets, they can become ill. The virus can be carried in your mouth/throat, an area that a dentist and their tools is in contact with. Therefore, dentists are limiting contact with patients to help limit the spread of the disease, and lack of personal protective equipment (N95 masks) that protect the provider and patient.
By focusing on emergency dental care, dentists are trying to save patients from going to an emergency room and keep demand for PPE low.
So, what are non-emergent treatments?
What is a dental emergency? The ADA considers anything life-threatening to be treated right away. This can include:
We are available to help answer your questions regarding dental emergencies. Bite Size Pediatric Dentistry is working hard and diligently to increase safety measures within our office and to help provide a safe environment for our staff, patients, and families. Keep checking in to see our improvements and we can’t wait to see you soon!
