HELP! have just got a positive test and have a tooth extraction booked

[SowhoamI505]

Hi,

as the title says I have just got a positive test, but I have a tooth extraction booked which I have been on a waiting list for six years to get. (yes you've read that right)

since I don't feel unwell am I still okay to go to my appointment as rescheduling it will just push me down the list and put me at more risk (the tooth has been in half the whole time I've been on the waiting list and has caused a deep sinus infection).

I can't afford to go privately either. I also can't have my tooth extracted
awake due to a severe needle phobia. May i make it clear that any judgement is not welcome so please be constructive. i am not considering this to be selfish, i am trying to make a difficult decision

Tough one. What made you decide to test if you’re not feeling unwell?

I had an extraction earlier this year and the relief I felt afterwards was amazing. I’m leaning towards the side of ‘go to the appointment’ due to my personal experience. Saying that though, it’s not fair at all as healthcare professionals will literally be inside your mouth. They don’t want to be up close and personal with someone who has Covid.

Can you not call and try to rearrange the appointment? I don’t see why that would get you pushed down the list. I rearranged my appointment twice due to childcare issue. This was also on the NHS, not private

Ring the dentist and ask them! I work in hospital and we allow patients to come to their clinic appointments if they have Covid, but it's nice if they let us know as we can call them straight on from the car park to avoid infecting others, and staff can wear masks.

What on earth made you test if you’re not feeling unwell?

When is the appointment? This week you should cancel, next ok. Why test if no symptoms? The dentist will prefer not to see you,

Exactly this. DH is a dentist and has treated lots of covid positive patients and appreciates it when they give him a heads up (they might wear better masks and take a few more precautions). He's vaccinated and has had covid himself so he genuinely doesn't care. It's on par with someone coming in with a cold or flu which happens every day anyway. During peak infection periods and with 40-50 patients coming through the clinic, they assume that they are treating at least one C+ patient a day anyway, so it really makes no difference.

There has actually been no recorded case of infection from a patient to a dentist in a clinical setting. Anecdotally amongst DH and his 20-30 friends/colleagues, not a single one got infected during the pandemic via work. 100% ended up infected in private settings like restaurants, skiing, kids etc.

I'd phone and ask where you're having the procedure what they want you to do. I appreciate you need the treatment, but it'd be extremely selfish to risk passing to someone who'll be in close proximity to your mouth - firstly you don't know how ill they'll be, they'll need time off work meaning other patients can't be treated and things they have planned in the next week will probably have to be cancelled.

Are you having a general anaesthetic? In which case best to let them know as its safest to delay the anaesthetic

Personally if you aren't in active pain or infection then I would delay

No idea why you'd do a covid test if you don't feel ill 🤷🏼‍♀️

Phone up and ask.
if you are having sedation or general anaesthetic it can be hazardous as your respiration (breathing) may already be depressed and sedation and general anaesthetics may make this worse.

The clinician treating you or their relatives may be clinically vulnerable or there may be people in waiting rooms , words who are clinically vulnerable.

well done for testing before going in. It is the responsible and caring thing to do . If you have any infection eg cold sore, cold etc you should phone and ask if dental treatment can go ahead .

Yes but during the pandemic most dentists weren't carrying out AGPs. Certainly not without FFP3s, and many practices were asking for tests prior to pts coming in. And if you were working 5 days a week you can't say whether you caught it in the restaurant or in a clinic?

It is an occupational hazard. I am a dentist and I worked in tertiary care and I don't know where I caught covid but can be pretty confident one of the 5 times I've had it has been from a patient. My colleagues would tell a different story to your husband

Why test ? Even if feeling Ill what's the point ?

Agree with three tree hill.
we did do AGPs apart from two months all during pandemic . All of us dentists working were , in one way or another, vulnerable but had to work otherwise there would have been no cover.

We do not want anyone coming in with covid, flu, d and v, active cold sore ,impetigo or any other infectious disease. It is not fair on us, other patients and our friends and family . We are in the highest risk group for catching respiratory diseases from patients and all of us have been ill thanks to things we caught at work .

Why did you test if feel ok ?

But silly if not going to avoid people now you know you have covid

Pointless testing imo

Dentists are at highest risk of catching respiratory illnesses . The combination of working very close to nose and mouth and use of instruments that cause an aerosol means that even for some time after treatment both they and the next patient in may be exposed to infectious droplets.
Dentists really do not want anyone coming in who is infectious with anything . Always ring first if you are not well or have cough,cold , chicken pox, impetigo, norovirus or anything.

Speaking as a dentist who has had to retire on ill health , because of long covid , I am grateful that OP was considerate enough to test and will hopefully phone up clinic who will advise about infectious period and whether they are happy to treat, both for OPs sake as covid causes respiratory depression , and for the sake of staff, patients and people they come into contact with.

☝🏼

@Lollygaggle I get dentists are at risk. Ans doctors. And opticians etx

But why did op Test if she didn't feel
Ill

It's not to protect the dentist as she still wants to go

OP must have had symptoms and hopefully they will have been persuaded to contact the clinic to get advise over whether it is safe for them and the staff to be treated.
Covid can cause respiratory depression, someone can feel well but their oxygen sats can be quite low. OP is either being sedated or having a general anaesthetic and both of these should not be carried out on someone with respiratory depression.

Sounds like a plan! As if going to the dentist isn't shit enough. Hope you get it sorted x

In the end, I cancelled. I obviously didn't want to put anyone at risk because I knew that this would be unfair for both parties. I have been informed i shall get a date in the near future, but thank you all for your time and advice.

Fuck sake. This is why accessing dental and health care is dangerous for patients.