In times of dealing with the COVID-19 virus outbreak, we are all aware of the unique challenges of navigating through our daily lives while maintaining vigilance and caution. Everyone, from the smallest department through the highest scope of the government, is fighting to prevent COVID-19 from spreading further.
While it is crucial that we pay close attention to the sensible and valuable advice that has been provided by our provincial Ministry of Health and other public health authorities – such as proper hand hygiene (like limiting handshakes and coughing into one’s sleeve rather than one’s hand) and social distancing – it is also essential that people do not neglect their dental health. We want to emphasize that dental health is directly connected to your overall health.
Problems with your teeth and gums can put a strain on your body and will directly affect your overall health. That’s why it’s important now more than ever to keep up with brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing daily.
Dental emergencies:
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Cellulitis or a diffuse soft-tissue bacterial infection with intra-oral or extra-oral swelling that potentially compromises the patient’s airway
- Trauma involving facial bones, potentially compromising the patient’s airway
Dental urgencies:
- Severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation
- Pericoronitis or third-molar pain
- Surgical post-operative osteitis, dry socket dressing changes
- Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
- Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
- Dental trauma with avulsion/luxation
- Dental treatment required prior to critical medical procedures
- Final crown/bridge cementation if the temporary restoration is lost, broken or causing gingival irritation
- Biopsy of abnormal tissue
Non-urgent dental treatments that can be postponed:
- Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
- Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
- Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain, infection, trauma) or other issues critically necessary to prevent harm to the patient
- Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
- Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic carious lesions
- Aesthetic dental procedure
For your reference, you may check this link for a list of currently open dental offices offering emergency dental services.
It’s Useful to Be Updated During the COVID-19 Crisis
Our regulatory body, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) and our Ontario Dental Association (ODA) are in constant contact with the Ministry of Health regarding the latest developments with the COVID-19 virus to ensure that we are best equipped to provide high-standard care to all of our patients.
At this point, Ontario’s dentists have been directed to postpone all non-essential care, like checkups and cosmetic procedures, and the ODA is strongly recommending that dentists follow the RCDSO’s guidelines.
How Our Dental Office Adjusts During COVID-19 Crisis
If you have a regularly scheduled appointment coming up this month, chances are it was cancelled or rescheduled. If you have not heard from our dental office already, then please contact us. We will do our best to get back to you as soon as possible.
We can’t stress enough that it is as important as ever to maintain good hygiene and healthy dental practices. These practices include constant brushing & flossing, eating nutritious food, and taking care of your teeth. Also, you should avoid chewing very hard foods.
Thank you for being our valued customer and for trusting our dental office! We wish you the best as we overcome this global challenge together. And always remember, we are here for you!
