Millions of Americans battle oral health problems like tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth sensitivity. And dentists play the essential role of diagnosing, preventing, and treating oral health diseases. Regular dental check-ups are recommended, as they have numerous benefits like:
- Enhancing dental hygiene
- Assessing wellness
- Measuring the risk of development of dental disease, and
- Examining jaw and bite issues
The spread of COVID-19 may have caused certain routines of dental treatment to be altered, and dentists have adopted treatment styles that minimize the risk of spread. If you’re looking for dental care in Dearborn Michigan, you can contact All Brite Dental for quality and affordable services.
Dental Office Social Distancing
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, people have no option but to observe safety precautions. For dentists, the most important precaution is observing social distancing guidelines while on the job. The following are some of the ways that dentists adhere to social distancing requirements:
1. Zero-Contact Waiting Room
A zero-contact waiting room enables the dentist to manage patients virtually. The patients typically receive a notification on their phone when their turn reaches to enter the dental office. Without a virtual waiting room, patients usually crowd the waiting room, thus increasing the risk of coronavirus spread.
But when virtual communication is leveraged, patients can stay in their cars, knowing they will receive a notification when it’s their turn to see the dentist. Virtual waiting rooms also eliminate confusion.
2. Performing Teledentistry
Online dental consultations enable a patient to access oral health care without going to a dental office. Virtual services allow a patient to explain their dental problems, and the dentist may make a diagnosis, and prescribe medication. These consultations are conducted over video and they don’t require the patient to go to the dental practice, thus critically minimizing the risk of coronavirus spread.
3. Clearing Hallways
In the past, there would be people walking on the hallways, and they’d sometimes enter the dental office. But in the wake of coronavirus, the mission is to minimize human contact as much as possible. And so, people are required to stay in their designated spaces, and avoid being on the hallways or entering the treatment room. Also, dental practices achieve this by minimizing the number of patients they give appointments per day, to avoid a situation where patients’ traffic may be huge forcing them to sit too close to each other.
4. Avoiding Unnecessary Physical Contact
Before coronavirus, some dentists would greet their patients in a mildly intimate way, like shaking hands and hugging. But now dentists are forced to eliminate unnecessary physical contact, which helps to minimize the risk of coronavirus spread. Instead of handshakes and hugs, verbal greetings are encouraged.
5. Safety Accessories and Technological Tools
Depending on the type of dental treatment being administered, the dentist might need to interact with the patient’s mouth very closely. In these instances, it’s important to use various safety accessories and technological tools like masks, gloves, advanced germ-capturing systems, and quality air filters. Also, patients should wear masks to minimize the deposition of infected droplets on various surfaces that other people might interact with.
Importance of Regular Dental Visits
You shouldn’t wait until you develop teeth pain before you see a dental specialist. You need to undergo dental check-ups regularly, at least twice a year, to ensure that your teeth are in perfect condition. The following are some of the benefits of regular dental visits:
- Evaluating overall health: regular dental check-ups can help determine whether your overall body is in perfect health or not. They help with the early detection of different diseases, thus enabling you to use the least resources to fight the illness.
- Dental hygiene: one of the critical services offered during dental check-ups is dental cleaning. This is typically thorough cleaning of the teeth and elimination of dental plaque. Professional dental cleaning is of a greater standard and more effective than regular hygiene activities like teeth brushing.
- Teeth whitening: if you are a heavy consumer of wine, coffee, or tobacco, your teeth are at a higher risk of getting discolored. In this world of ours, looks do matter, and you can be judged for your teeth. Dental check-ups and other relevant treatments enable you to maintain or reclaim your white teeth.
COVID-19 vs. Dental Health
The coronavirus pandemic has caused some patients to hesitate to look for dental care, as they are concerned about their safety. However, patients need not be discouraged to look for the assistance of dental health specialists. The most important thing is to make sure that a dental practice observes relevant safety guidelines.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
Speak Your Mind