Due to COVID-19, personal hygiene is now more important than ever before. Adhering to social distancing guidelines and wearing a mask when you have to go out could save your life in times like these. While you might have to worry about catching the virus when you go out the grocery store, one place you should feel safe is the office of your dentist near Severna Park. Dentist’s offices are some of the most sterile places you could be. Keep reading to learn some of the preventive measures your dentist takes in order to keep their office as clean as possible.
Standard Precautions
Much like any medical practice, dental offices adhere to strict sanitary standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of these practices include:
- Hand hygiene: Your dentist and their team members will be sure to wash their hands immediately before and after interacting with each and every patient. Along with wearing gloves during each appointment, this helps prevent the transmission of germs between patients, from patient to doctor, or from doctor to patient.
- Use of PPE: For every procedure they perform, dentists use PPE, or personal protective equipment. Wearing masks ensures that no germs are spread through the air, while wearing gloves and washing hands keep you safe from anything transmitted from hand-to-mouth contact.
- Tool sterilization: Any and all tools that your dentist or hygienist uses to treat your mouth will have been thoroughly sterilized. The CDC mandates that tools may not be reused on successive patients without being completely disinfected between uses.
- Office sterilization: In addition to tool and hand sterilization, dental offices take great care to disinfect the entire environment. Each exposed surface of the office is thoroughly cleaned before and after each appointment.
Even before this pandemic hit, dental offices were among the cleanest places you could be. In these trying times, most dentists are taking even greater precautions while continuing to see emergency patients.
COVID-19 Precautions
The coronavirus pandemic, understandably, has many people more concerned about their safety. While the majority of dental offices are closed for procedures like cleanings, many of them are still seeing patients with dental emergencies on an as-needed basis. As a result, most of them are taking precautions such as:
- Evaluating the health of every staff member daily
- Advising patients to wait in their car until the dentist is ready to see them
- Offering consultations online
- Wearing extra PPE like show coverings, face shields, and surgical gowns
- Using advanced chairside suction techniques to prevent aerosol contamination
Even during a dangerous pandemic, your dentist’s office is an incredibly safe place to be. Their standard hygiene and sanitation protocols are enough to minimize germ transmission and keep you healthy while getting the emergency dental care you need. Should you find yourself with a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call your dentist near Severna Park.
About the Author
Dr. Devon Conklin achieved her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 2009. She has attended post-graduate courses at the prestigious Pankey Institute to hone her skills in aspects of dentistry such as dental implant placement. Her practice near Severna Park, MD adheres to all of the safety precautions listed above. If you think you have a dental emergency and want clean, safe treatment, contact Dr. Conklin’s office at (410) 729-9090.