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COVID-19 Considerations in Dental Care

From Volume 47, Issue 4, April 2020 | Pages 287-302

Authors

Samy Darwish

BSc, BDS, MFD RCS, DipDSed, MSc, MClinDent, MRD RCS, LLM, FDS RCS

Specialist Oral Surgeon and Specialist Periodontist, Dakatra Ltd, London

Articles by Samy Darwish

Email Samy Darwish

Abstract

COVID-19 is a disease that is causing uncertainty with the provision of dental services. The situation is rapidly changing and dentists remain unsure on how to change practices accordingly. Formal guidance remains sparse at the time of writing, so this paper presents matters within the practice of dentistry to be considered, as we adapt to the rapidly-changing need.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: Dentists are unsure what to do and where to look for guidance during this worrying pandemic situation. A structured presentation of matters arising within the practice of dentistry is required for consideration in order to maximize the safety of patients and members of the dental team.

Article

As the world prepared to celebrate a turning over of a new leaf for a new decade on 31st December 2019, a low profile unwelcome guest was introduced to the party at Wuhan City in China named COVID-19. Not much notice was initially taken, but the now infamous novel disease seems to have changed the world forever. Initially presenting as a low-grade, flu-like illness, it has now established itself as a worldwide pandemic with far reaching, severe and all-too-often tragic consequences.

Caused by the single-stranded RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2, COronaVIrusDisease-2019 has now become more infamous than its previously known cousins, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Unlike a carrier of the common cold or influenza virus that may infect 1-2 people, an individual with COVID-19 is likely to infect 2-3 people when in direct contact and close proximity.1 It does not seem to be heavily contagious through breathing, but via contact with droplets or contaminated surfaces that eventually lead to introduction to the body through mucosal surfaces via the eyes, nose and mouth. Many individuals may present with mild to moderate symptoms and may even have no detectable manifestations at all, meaning the community may well have a substantial number of ‘silent super-spreaders’, some of whom may be our patients. The only realistic method of combatting the spread is to minimize individual-to-individual close contact, frequent hand-washing and sanitization, and to disinfect surfaces stringently.

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