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Where I Can Still See My Mom’s Influence in My Life Does Float Therapy Really Work? The Cure for ‘American Girl Doll Teeth’ New, Better Ways to Eat Chips Gorilla Glue and Hair Don’t Mix How COVID-19 Could Change Your Trip to the Dentist
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The Lasting Effects of COVID-19 on Dental Offices
Since the pandemic began, dentists have had to change how they interact with patients before, during, and after their appointments. And those changes will likely remain long after the pandemic is over. Not since the HIV/AIDS epidemic decades ago has a disease so radically altered dentists’ behavior. The practice of wearing gloves and masks while working with patients is proof. Before HIV/AIDS, those protective measures were far less common. With that in mind, it’s interesting to consider which of the COVID-19 safety measures taken in dentistry will continue to be utilized as the pandemic subsides. Changing Gowns for Each Patient The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that dentists wear disposable (or washable) gowns that can be changed for each new patient. This is done so that any particulates that might come from one patient’s mouth aren’t passed to another patient, something many patients will prefer even after COVID-19 is no longer a major health concern. Installing HEPA Air Filtration Systems High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters trap fine particles floating in the air before they are circulated throughout indoor spaces. Since these filters can capture other virus particles besides coronaviruses, HEPA filters might be another new addition to dental offices, ensuring their chair spaces and waiting areas have a constant flow of clean air.
Finding Alternative Tools As it turns out, some dental tools, such as drills, ultrasonic scalers, and air polishers, can produce suspended air droplets that could carry viruses, which endanger both patients and dentists. Some dentists have found ways around using these tools, though. According to The New York Times, one dentist in Seattle used silver diamine fluoride to prevent children’s cavities from growing instead of using a drill. While more people are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 every day, the virus will no doubt leave lasting effects on the dental industry and many others. Hopefully, the precautions that stick around will serve to protect dentists and patients every day, no matter if we have a health crisis or not.
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