Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 3: Dr Gautam Sharma, ex-president of Indian Dental Association (IDA) Jammu, has said that the dental surgeons shall have to be careful even after the ongoing Coronavirus subsides as they will for some time continue to face the threat of contracting infection.
Dr Sharma said that while working in the oral cavity, the dentists are always in contact with the saliva and blood of the patients. He said Corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) is abundantly present in nasopharyngeal and salivary secretions of affected patients.
“Scaling of teeth, use of air-rotor to prepare cavities and reduction hand-pieces are aerosol generating procedures, commonly undertaken by a dentist. Aerosols may contain virus if patient is a carrier or infected with Coronavirus. Even the greatest of precaution will not be able to protect the dental surgeons and support staff as the aerosol production in dental procedure is enormous,” he said, adding, other patients entering the clinical area will also be at a high risk.
Dr Sharma said that more than 75% of Corona infected patients have only mild symptoms that resemble flu-like symptoms and allergies, which might lead to an increased number of undiagnosed cases. Incubation period of Covid-19 is said to be ranging from 0-24 days, so it is difficult to diagnose a patient of this infection entering a dental clinic for treatment without laboratory investigations.
If dentist has to take some emergency treatment of any patient during these days then he must use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), pre-procedural mouth rinsing by the patient with povidone-iodine gargles, rubber dam to minimize aerosols and splatter. The supporting staff of the clinic should disinfect the surfaces using chemicals approved for Coronavirus and maintain a dry and well ventilated environment of the clinic.
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