To wonder is REALLY safe to go to dentist??

[vidalbaboon]

I was a shielder and this worries me:

The issue is that dentist’s offices create huge amounts of saliva droplets. “Look at some of the instruments that they use, such as the drills, the scalers, the air-water syringes,” says Kullar.

https://elemental.medium.com/read-this-before-you-go-to-the-dentist-7385e2580c966_

When used in the mouth, all of these instruments create sprays of tiny droplets and aerosols containing not only water but saliva — which contains high levels of viruss, blood, and microorganisms. The smallest of these particles can stay in the air for hourss, while larger ones can land on surfaces like doorknobs and dental chairs.

Together these characteristics make aerosolised oral secretions powerful potential vectors of COVID -19 in dental practices

I think lots of dentists have installed special air filters to take away all the stuff in the air. Mine has one which completely changes the air in the room in about 10 minutes. For exactly that reason.

My dentist vacates the room for an hour after each patient has left for exactly this reason.

Am sure it’s safe,

They clean and sanitise between each patient and have all manner of procedures in place to cover this. It's as safe as it can be.

Lots of dentists aren't carrying out aerosol producing procedures yet

Although our dentist has started doing check-ups again, I'm assuming they won't be doing a "quick scale and polish" for some time.

I have lost one of my fillings. I have been stressing about this for a while and then this morning I got an email inviting me for a check up! I am with a private dentist.

I am very stressed about the whole thing I grind my teeth already and I will probably grind them more now 😭😭😭

That would only present an issue if the patients attending actually had covid surely? Or if these items of dental equipment were being used with lots of patients. My practice has very stringent measures about recent travellers, has done away with its waiting room, all payments are over the phone, you print and sign consent forms yourself to bring in so no double handling, only one patient in the (small) practice at any one time, temp checks etc, extremely conservative use of a lot of the equipment named above. It is only being used when required for necessary medical treatment.

YANBU to query it but really is anywhere 100% 'safe' from the risk of covid, possibly not. Any enclosed space with others talking etc is surely no safer.
I'm in the shielding category and have been to the dentist since lockdown ended and was satisfied. I had some dental pain and was due a checkup, no equipment was used. DP also went and saw the hygienist and noted a switch to more manual methods than usual. Neither of us have since tested positive for covid. Dental issues left can be agonising and expensive and risk infection. Better to keep up with it quickly and efficiently than end up with the latter and having to visit the doctors or hospital.

I felt very ill at ease on a recent urgent hospital appointment re: what I saw on the other hand and am not keen to return for the time being.

They are taking barely any patients just now so they can sanitise everything properly

If it isnt hurting, then perhaps you can just wait. In a few months there might be a vaccine. In your position, I would not go.

I was going to add, I've heard of so many people catching covid when it was supposed to be safe, when everyone was wearing a mask, when hand gel was scrupulously used. Nothing is entirely risk free, people are only human - a small slip up can easily happen.

I was told when I went for the flu jab there would only be one other person in the room (the nurse) but there were three or four people (albeit wearing masks) and the same door was used for entering and exiting Which was different to what I had been told.

This sort of thing causes me much anxiety as I know I cannot control what happens once everything is underway

I took Dd to dentist yesterday and they say they are not using any of the electrical equipment unless absolutely necessary.

She had plaque scraped off but no electric tools to avoid aerosols.

The dentist told me that they leave 1hr between appts for air change, disinfect the whole place and wear high grade PPE if they do anything aerosol generating.

You can bet they are not going to take a risk of a) getting ill themselves or b) causing an outbreak and having to shut their business plus damage their reputation.

Overall I think you are pretty safe.

I would think if anyone understands the risks it would be dentists.

They also had online check in and payment, socially distant waiting room or option to wait outside an a 1 way system that was being used plus screening qs and temp check on arrival

It felt very safe to me and I was glad we went as DD was at risk of a gum infection which would get worse if we left it.

?

The annoying thing is this tooth has had so much done to it, I've often wished for an extraction if I'd had that done last year I'd be fine now!

@DougRossIsTheBoss

I would think if anyone understands the risks it would be dentists.

They also had online check in and payment, socially distant waiting room or option to wait outside an a 1 way system that was being used plus screening qs and temp check on arrival

It felt very safe to me and I was glad we went as DD was at risk of a gum infection which would get worse if we left it.

That does sound super-safe I must admit!

We have been very careful but had checkups and a reduced polish recently so no spray etc . There was a questionable 48 hours before hand, waiting room is outdoors, temps checked, full PPE on staff, the assistant cleaned every surface touched between me and the children and then they leave the room for an hour before using again. It felt as safe as possibly could be and at least I know we are all ok before winter. Payment was taken by card machine which was cleaned before and after.

It felt far safer than seeing the nurse recently for me.