Helpful Oral Health and Hygiene Tips in Times of Coronavirus
Coronavirus infection has been considered by the WHO as a global pandemic. Since its origin, it has been a threat to global health, not only due to its symptoms but also due to its rapid spread and contagion capacity, and the respiratory complications it produces in patients with other chronic underlying conditions. The main transmission mechanisms described are Flügge droplets, aerosols, and direct contact with contaminated surfaces.
It is important that people's oral hygiene routine prevents the viral load in their mouth and oral hygiene utensils from being too high.
Why should the dentist be specially prepared to prevent this infection?
The dentist is one of the professionals with the highest risk of infection due to COVID-19. The dental clinic, which already has very high-level biosafety protocols, must comply with them without fail and adapt them to the new situation.
Mouthwashes should be used pure, undiluted
Should oral health precautions be taken in the person with COVID-19?
As noted by the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC), “ The immune response to COVID-19 is still unknown. Patients with MERS-CoV (another coronavirus) infection are unlikely to re-become infected soon after recovering, but it is not yet known whether similar immune protection will be observed in patients with COVID-19.
Having the brush free of bacteria and viruses helps to reduce the spread with the brushes of people who are close
And once the disease has overcome it, should something more or different be done?
Return to your normal oral hygiene routine, but we must not forget that it is essential to change the brush once the contagion period has passed, for your health and that of others.
The patient who has passed COVID-19 should change the brush after the contagion period has passed.
What impact is this pandemic having on your dental practice? How do you think dental practices/clinics should change after this pandemic?
The economic impact is evident and it will be difficult to overcome. After the pandemic, the biosecurity protocols of dental consultations must adapt to the new situation; however, this profession will know how to adapt and will be able to continue offering maximum safety to patients.
The biosecurity protocols of dental consultations must be adapted to the new situation
In the case of dental consultations, should the same precautions be followed as in other health centers?
So is. The strategies that are recommended to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in health centers do not differ from the strategies that these centers use to detect and prevent the spread of other respiratory viruses such as influenza.
This virus is especially concentrated in the nose, mouth, throat, and larynx, which would explain its high contagion capacity.
Specifically, workers with respiratory symptoms should consult to make an individualized assessment of the relevance of the continuity of their work activities. Regarding users, they should be contacted by messages or calls to indicate that it is currently advisable not to go to dental clinics if they present symptoms of acute respiratory infection; Currently, it is recommended that they contact their dental office to make an individualized assessment in the event that it is essential that they attend.
It is essential to ensure that the toothbrush is a safe distance from the toilet and close the lid before flushing the cistern.
What basic precautions should be taken?
For healthcare professionals who are at risk of generating aerosols (as is the case in Dentistry), the use of valved FFP2 masks is recommended.
In case of continuing to use the usual surgical mask, it is recommended to change them every 2 hours to avoid deterioration and loss of efficacy.
Gloves, gowns, and tight eye protection should be worn.
Thorough hand washing should be done before and after caring for the patient.
All work surfaces and surroundings of the patient must be immediately cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning and disinfection will be carried out with a disinfectant included in the clinic's cleaning and disinfection policy or with a sodium hypochlorite solution containing 1,000 ppm of active chlorine (1:50 dilution of a bleach with a concentration of 40-50 gr/liter freshly prepared). These viruses are inactivated after 5 minutes of contact with normal disinfectants such as household bleach.
It must be followed scrupulously with all the usual universal standards of disinfection and sterilization.
Furthermore, before taking care of a patient, the international clinical and epidemiological criteria of SARS-CoV-2 must be taken into account.
And to the general population, and as a dentist, what practical advice would you give to prevent coronavirus infection based on oral health and hygiene?
Never share the toothbrush. This is a common form of virus transmission. For the same reason, the toothbrush heads must be kept separate from each other.
