Any dentists or recent patients - how risky is the dentist

[Bettydot]

I’m wondering if anyone who works in a dental surgery or has visited the dentist can tell me if they are aware of many cases of of covid being caught at the dentist? I have an appointment this week to repair a broken tooth and I’m feeling really anxious about it due to the new strain. I know the dentists have lots of procedures in place as I visited recently and it felt very safe but at the same time the idea of spending half an hour in close contact with the dentist and dental nurse with my mouth wide open with cases rocketing and the new strain being so much more transmissible really worries me. The tooth isn’t currently causing me an issue but I know it could start to cause problems and is an infection risk so I’m trying to weigh things up.

Also anyone who works in a dental practice how often are staff currently tested and is it via lateral flow tests or swabs? I’m trying to put my mind at ease a bit. Thank you for everything all of you on the front line are doing.

@Bettydot sorry, I don't know for definite about the extra mask - all I know is that after losing 4 months of income last year he's doing absolutely everything, and more, to ensure they don't get any infections to either staff or patients (many of whom are well over the age of 60!).

I am going to my NHS dentist tomorrow.
Everyone who's saying their appointments were safe, were they private clinics or NHS?
Im really nervous as we have been shielding since march.

@Bettydot
I am a dentist. OP please read my post below, where it explains that with valves respirator masks it's not mandatory to wear a surgical mask over it as long as you are wearing a visor.
It also explains why windows open are not necessary if you have a sufficient ventilation system demonstrating at least 10 air changes per hour

@Bettydot I’m glad that my previous reply was helpful. Hope your appointment goes well.

NHS practices should not be charging for PPE. The price is back down to preCovid levels and NHS are being supplied directly from NHS so are not paying for the cost of PPE.
Private practices may still be charging because of the extra items we now have to use.

Extremely unrisky in my experience.

First check-up for two years (annual check-up and hygienist visits cancelled by the dentist in 2020 then rescheduled visits lost to the first lockdown) in December lasted all of 6 minutes, of which only 3 mins was lying in the chair with him looking in my mouth. I haven't done the maths yet to work out how much that cost pet minute as I have been paying Denplan of £17.90 a month all that time.
So yes, unrisky because extremely limited, from my experience.
Oh, and hygienist not available until March.

Begrudgingly thankful for this thread. I was due for hygienist appointment just before first lockdown but cancelled it as the news started to come through in the UK. Both DS13 and I have now missed our 6 monthly check up but I chipped a tooth early on in first lockdown- not causing issues yet but I know i need to get it looked at. I have really crap teeth and think I need at least one filling in a problematic area at the back and I'm dreading going. I hate dentists but because my teeth are so rubbish, I nearly always need something doing so the fear of going is (only just!) less than the fear of not going and problems going undetected. I best look into booking in

I also had root canal and a crown in October / November and it was all fine. I waited outside the building until my appointment, l came it, had my temperature checked and sanitised my hands. All staff wore PPE throughout, l wire safety glasses and a mask until the last minute

Good luck with it all!

My dentist is private. Me and DS have just got back from our appointment I would say anybody worrying about booking they definitely shouldn’t worry. The dentist were fab they wore PPE and didn’t charge me anything extra.

Went to the dentist last week. Dentist and assistant had full ppe on, plus oxygenated face shield - think ghostbusters. All felt very safe. The room is left for thirty minutes afterwards, so any particles that may be in the air after the procedure can settle.

@Scarby9 this is true the dentist didn’t clean my teeth either. I think they should tbh as I have a slight problem.

I was nervous about my dental treatment. I was recommended the ‘calm ‘ app. I put headphones on, listened to this, and it wasn’t too bad.

@ofwarren
My dad has been shielding but felt confident enough with his first dose of the vaccine before Christmas to go to the dentists at the end of last week.

He said it felt as safe as the hospital and actually safer than their doctors, AND he had the full half hour.

He goes private (no NHS dentists around anymore).

@boxingdayclearout thank you, I can’t find your post but would love to read it especially the bit about the valved masks as I know this would worry me without understand the logic behind it.

@lotusbell definitely get booked in and I hope they can repair your tooth without too much trouble.

@ofwarren mine is an NHS dentist and when we went in for a check up in the summer and when I’ve been re tooth issues twice their procedures have seemed to be really comprehensive. Like you I was feeling anxious about going especially for a filling / tooth repair in the current situation hence my post but I feel fairly reassured by the responses I’ve had. I hope your appointment goes well. I’m sure you could call ahead to check their procedures and I’m sure they’d be happy for you to pay beforehand or by phone afterwards and wait outside etc if those things aren’t part of their standard procedures. Good luck.

@Bettydot
The post about valves masks? Basically here in Scotland we are all now following a published National SOP ( standard operating procedures). This document is well researched and referenced.
The guidance states:

"When wearing a valved respirator for an AGP, the wearing of a full-face shield or visor in front of it should act as a barrier to minimise the risk of transfer of viral aerosol/droplets from a dental operator (who is asymptomatically carrying the virus) to a patient. Taping over or otherwise covering a respirator valve (e.g. with a surgical mask) is not recommended
as it may impact how the respirator functions"

It will increase the wearer's CO2 levels, and they'll feel it pretty quickly. Plus wearing a surgical mask over the respirator is not following manufacturer instructions.

The Visors we wear are single use, large, have full face coverage, and a protective foam seal at the top, so quite able for the job.

Hope that helps.

Just come out of my dentist appointment.
4 of us in the waiting room at the same time, the receptionist coughing and the dentist only wore a blue surgical mask 😔
I didn't have a procedure, I've just been referred for hospital extraction.

As a family, we've had 6 visits to the dentist since they re-opened: root canal (2 visits to include rebuilding the tooth), 1 check-up and 3 hygienist appointments.
Dentists are absolutely on top of hygiene requirements at the best of times, never mind now.
It's absolutely vital to keep teeth and gums healthy.

@ofwarren oh no I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t have a good experience. I hope you’re ok. I think dentists are only wearying the blue surgical masks for check ups. I wouldn’t have liked sharing a waiting room though and it’s horrible being near anyone who is coughing though considering how comprehensive the rules seem to be within dental practices if she was in work I can only assume it wasn’t a possible covid related cough.

The first dentist I saw only wore a blue mask and he coughed a couple of times! I had seen him because his colleague, who worked privately, had Covid, but hadn't been to the practice though!

I had a terrible experience, which I posted about just before Christmas.

I went back last week to see another dentist (one I used to have) and she was very vigilant, face mask and visor. She put me at ease as I have a bit of a phobia and the previous dentist nearly put me off going again.

I have a wisdom tooth extraction this week. The appointment is booked for 45 mins though hoping it's less as there is no ventilation in the room.

I'm more worried about the danger of neglecting my teeth, my NHS dentist hasn't offered any appointments since last March, my last routine appointment was about four months before that, I've had terrible toothache for the last couple of days - phoned a private Dentist at lunch time and had an appointment at 3.15 - felt very safe and reassured - unfortunately I have an abscess & will need an extraction. The Dentist told me it's a very serious problem resulting from Lockdown as so many people can't get dental appointments - fortunately I can afford to pay for private treatment but what if you can't? .

Thank you to everyone who replied to me. I’ve now had my appointment and am so relieved to have it over and done with. I couldn’t fault our dental practice. Due to my tooth requiring some drilling the dentist and dental nurse were wearing full PPE, the type you see in ICU, full gowns, respirator masks with a surgical mask over the top, visors and gloves. Window was open throughout and I waited outside to be called for my appointment and left immediately afterwards as I paid over the phone. I’m aware that they needed to allow for time to air the room after my appointment too. I’m very anxious about covid and have only stepped into a shop a handful of times since March and I felt very safe and reassured by the procedures in place. Obviously nothing is without risk but I’m glad that I went ahead with the appointment.

@Ragwort sorry to hear you’ve got to have your tooth removed. Did you try calling your NHS dentist first? I’m an NHS patient and my dentist fitted me in the next day when I had a dental emergency. Check ups seem to be far more hit and miss. I had one in October and to be honest I’d expected it to be postponed as it had been rebooked a number of times. When I mentioned I hadn’t been expecting it to go ahead the receptionist explained that it just fell well, timings wise and they are still cancelling lots of check ups due to the additional cleaning and spacing between patients and the airing of rooms after any drilling etc so they are able to see far less people and are fitting check ups around emergency work. It is a worry though as teeth are so important. I’m just so relieved dentists are now open for emergencies again. Good luck with your treatment.

I’ve broken three teeth in lockdown
That’s 5 visits.
Most recent one yesterday and last one in two weeks
I feel perfectly safe.

Mine has worn full ppe for the drilling and filling

Bloody nightmare..three teeth in such a short space of thimyoud think I actually love to go to the dentist
Even when I go back in two weeks, I’ve got to have more needles to remove the temporary filling before my crown is fitted.

They are lovely though and they’ve saved three teeth which I’m so grateful for.

I'm back from the dentist this evening having had a wisdom tooth extraction.

I felt very safe (and I'd been very worried, posting previously on this) and am going back in a few weeks for a filling.