27 Apr Dental appointments and COVID-19
With all the uncertainty surrounding us at the moment in relation to corona virus, many of you may be wondering about whether the dental office still open and if you should come in for your regular appointments. The short answer is yes! Dental disease doesn’t stop progressing just because of a cold or flu that you may catch. While it is important that you let us know of any cold or flu symptoms you may have, we are still open and carrying out ‘business as usual’.
Boulton Dental is an accredited dental practice, meaning that we adhere to strict infection control guidelines, and standard precautions. In conjunction with this, we have taken extra measures to ensure the health & safety of all our staff & patients.
- As you enter our practice, you may be asked questions relating to any cold or flu symptoms you may have, whether you have travelled overseas or if you have been contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
- We take all staff & patient’s temperatures on entering the practice
- We have reduced the amount of aerosols we produce, meaning that the risk of spreading COVID-19 airborne droplets is significantly reduced.
- We are now asking all patients to do a pre-procedural antiseptic mouthrinse. We would also ask that you use the hand sanitiser gel located at the front desk before entering the treatment room area
- You will have the option of waiting in your car rather than the waiting room and having a text message or phone call when we are ready for you
As many of our patients are aware, our focus is on prevention, and this is true not only for dental disease, but also helping to prevent the spread of any infectious diseases also. During winter or times of cold & flu’s, or other viruses such as COVID-19, it is important to maintain your dental health in order to maintain your general health & vice versa. Periodontal disease is impacted by many factors & goes through stages of higher activity & less activity, which can be affected by illness and stress. For this reason, when we are all feeling a little bit more stressed, it is more likely that oral health problems may flare up, and chronic conditions can progress more quickly. By keeping to your regular maintenance schedule, you are more likely to reduce the risk of this happening and keep the disease process in check. In the same way, the less chronic inflammation in your body, the better you are able to fight off any illnesses as your body is under less stress.
We can currently treat periodontal disease with hand scaling. If you feel like your gums have deteriorated over the last few months then we can help. Hand scaling is a very good way of removing the bacteria around your teeth. Please call us on 02 4961 6300 to discuss this with our hygiene team.
The same goes for dental decay also. The process of dental decay is not going to cease because you may catch a cold, in fact, if you have an infection or abscess caused by dental decay, it may get worse and you can end up in a lot of pain. If your dentist or hygienist has recommended 3 or 6 monthly check ups or fluoride applications, it is important that you keep these appointments so that any issues can be kept in check and you don’t end up in pain.
If you should come down with cold or flu symptoms, please let us know prior to coming to your appointment so we can reschedule if need be to keep everyone safe. In the meantime, remember to drink plenty of water, use sugar free lozenges, and keep up with regular twice daily brushing & flossing once a day to keep your mouth in the best health possible until we can see you again.
Be assured that your health & safety is our utmost priority, and should there be further recommendations on how we can keep you safe, we will be implementing those measures as soon as possible.
To make your appointment phone 02 4961 6300 or direct book online here
If you need any oral care products, including sugar free lozenges, floss or toothpaste visit www.shopbypaulbeathdental.com
Written by, Emily Smith Oral Health Therapist B.O.H., Grad. Dip. D.T.
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