Health |

With coronavirus cases at an all-time high, some patients are nervous about going to the dentist

Due to the novel coronavirus, which has drastically changed almost every aspect of our lives, annual dental visits have also changed.

In March, when the pandemic led Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to issue a state-at-home order, dental offices were open only for emergency procedures. In May, dental offices reopened for routine dental visits.

With COVID-19 cases at an all-time high, some people may be nervous about going to the dentist right now. Patients are indoors with masks removed and need to open their mouths wide.

Dr. Terri Tiersky, 2020 president of the Chicago Dental Society, says people should feel comfortable visiting the dentist for routine cleaning and check-ups.

“As has been the case since the beginning of this pandemic, dentists have been following all of the recommended protocols to keep their patients, their staff and themselves safe and healthy, and this has not changed,” she said in an email. “The risk of undetected dental disease that could occur by not seeing the dentist is much higher than the likelihood of getting sick when visiting the dental office. Dental health is not only important for your teeth and mouth, but for the rest of your body as well. … Preventative dental care and strong oral hygiene creates an additional, critical barrier of protection to prevent greater health complications.”

Similarly, Dr. Taylor A. Heald-Sargent, assistant professor of pediatrics infectious diseases at Northwestern University, stresses the importance of not canceling dental appointments.

“So while it is something that sometimes can be delayed a little bit,” Heald-Sargent says, “it’s still essential to have good hygiene, which of course varies by person. So people that had their (checkups) a couple months ago, are in a different situation than somebody who … hasn’t been seen in a while. So, speaking with your individual dentist about how urgent your need is would be useful.”

A study from the American Dental Association in June found that less than 1 percent of dentists nationwide had tested positive for COVID-19.

Tiersky says this is largely due to the safety protocols and infection control procedures that dental offices have been implementing for decades and have enhanced during the pandemic.

“As dentists, we, along with our staff, are trained to follow all proper infection protocols to keep our offices clean and everyone safe,” she says. “As long as the dental office is following the appropriate protocols, there are no risks associated with going to the dentist as it relates to transmitting the virus. … It is very, very unlikely (to contract COVID-19) if the dentist is following all recommended protocols.”

Your next visit to the dentist will look a little different with some offices asking patients to wait in their cars and to call upon arrival before entering the office, to ensure social distancing, Tiersky says. Additional materials such as magazines and toys may be removed from waiting rooms, but your actual appointment itself will be the same.

“Patients can expect the office, dentist and the staff to look a bit different, but the visit itself will be pretty much the same, as far as having your teeth checked, cleaned and any specific oral health problems addressed,” she says.

Tiersky adds that your dentist might avoid using one specific dental tool, an ultrasonic scaler, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“Because COVID-19 has been found to spread through aerosol droplets,” she says, “the (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommended that dentists avoid using ultrasonic scalers, which can produce aerosols, during teeth cleanings. Some offices may still not be using the ultrasonic scaler for cleanings. Each office is different, and I cannot speak to what each individual office is choosing to do.”

Heald-Sargent, who visited her dentist two months ago, says she was impressed by how well thought out personal protective equipment (PPE) was.

“Which makes sense because they don’t want to get sick,” she says. “Everyone is trying to protect themselves, which helps protect everyone else. Check, like everywhere else, that they’re enforcing masking between their patients because that would be the other variable to consider.”

When dental offices reopened for nonemergency appointments, there was a shortage of PPE and many added surcharges to appointments.

Heald-Sargent asks patients to show a little empathy when it comes to additional charges for PPE.

“I know some people have been annoyed with having to pay extra for the dentist to get PPE,” she says. “But people forget that these are small businesses themselves. … There are shortages; they’re expensive. It’s not something that’s easily written off. And if it’s something that would help protect you, you know that little surcharge is definitely worth it in my book.”

hgreenspan@chicagotribune.com