As a Dental Practice, we work in an environment where the prevention of the spread of a whole range of infections is woven into everything we do. We have been paying particularly close attention to all government guidance and updates related more specifically to Coronavirus.
Following recent guidance from NHS England and the Department of Health, dental check-ups and treatments involve close contact between the dentist and patient should not take place. Also, dentists have to avoid using tools like drills and the ones used for scales and polishes. This is to prevent them from catching the virus from an infected patient and passing it on to other patients.
Drills and other high-speed tools create a lot of ‘spray’ from patients’ mouths so dentists need to use protective clothing and equipment.
COVID-19 has a seven-day period before symptoms show, where someone wouldn’t know they had it and could pass it on to others. If an unsuspecting patient had a filling, the spray from doing that procedure would likely infect the dentist and the nurse.
The personal protective equipment dentists wear when using high-speed tools is currently required by hospitals treating coronavirus patients. Without this equipment dentists, hygienists, therapists and nurses are not safe to treat patients as normal.
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