by Samie Durnford and Dr. Natalie Archer, DDS<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With many dental offices around the continent only open for dental emergencies during COVID-19<\/a>, you may be left with many questions. When can I go? Is it even safe? And how do you maintain social distance at the dentist\u2019s office anyway? Luckily, dentists across the nation<\/a> are ready to support patients during this time, and we have compiled the best advice for seeking help if you have a dental emergency.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A dental emergency is anything that is causing immediate and unavoidable pain or discomfort. If you\u2019re experiencing pain that can\u2019t be helped by medications (like ibuprofen) or antibiotics, it\u2019s time to call your dentist. Dental practices that are open for emergencies will take your information over the phone and work with you to decide if you require a visit or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While unavoidable pain is a common sign of a dental emergency, dental offices in different areas of the country may define emergencies differently. If you\u2019re unsure if you have a dental emergency, call a local dentist office that\u2019s accepting emergency appointments to get screened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tele-dentistry has allowed dental practices to quickly adapt to social distancing safety protocols. Now, you can call your dentist to do an over-the-phone screening where they will walk you through your dental history, and identify on your charts where the pain might be stemming from. If you\u2019re able to chat with your regular dentist, they\u2019ll be able to examine notes from your past visits to help diagnose what the problem might be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most common dental emergencies are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re experiencing a dental emergency, you should make a dental appointment as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re in so much pain that you can\u2019t function or sleep, then a cavity or toothache could be considered an emergency. If you\u2019re experiencing mild pain, try taking an over the counter pain medicine and see if the sensitivity or pain goes away. Often, a cavity is not an emergency and can wait until dentist offices resume regular services before going in to get the cavity dealt with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the ache doesn\u2019t go away at all, and it\u2019s impacting your daily life, or you\u2019re waking up at night in pain, call your dentist and discuss making an appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If it\u2019s not a dental emergency, routine checkups will have to wait. Don\u2019t worry if you have a cavity that was scheduled to be fixed but got postponed because of COVID-19. Continue to practice good oral hygiene (regular brushing and flossing), and any other recommendations that will help maintain your oral wellness. Things like drinking water, sleeping well, avoiding sugary foods, drinking too much tea or coffee, and taking care of your mouth will get you through to that next cleaning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can tell a tooth is infected if you have swelling or knots on your gums or any swelling in your face. If you experience a fever or your skin is hot to the touch around the area of your mouth where the pain is, then it\u2019s time to call your dentist because it might be signs of infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t worry! Most dentists that are open for emergency dental appointments are happy to screen new patients and help you decide whether you\u2019re experiencing a dental emergency. Find a dentist that\u2019s open near you and contact them if you have any concerns at all. Even if you\u2019re not a patient of their practice, they\u2019ll be able to chat with you over the phone to get to know your symptoms and dental history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, infection control has always been paramount in dentistry and practices are doing everything they can to ensure that your visit is safe. Dental practices in Canada are regulated by the Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC). In the United States, the American Dental Association (ADA) is ensuring that dentists follow proper safety protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every patient is screened for COVID-19 symptoms before they\u2019re allowed to make an appointment or come in for a dental emergency visit. While every practice varies, many of them are only allowing single-patient entries into the practice. Chances are you will be required to wear a mask, and you may have to have your mouth rinsed with hydrogen peroxide. Your dental team will also be fitted in personal protection equipment to keep both you and them safe. The office will be sterilized, head to toe and dental sterilization equipment will be used on all tools, much like it was before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dental offices have habits and best practices that have been ingrained in dentistry since before the time of COVID-19. So, you can trust that your dentist is doing everything possible to ensure your safety. If you\u2019re still feeling nervous, just call and ask them what they\u2019re doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and keep patients safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There may be times you experience a dental emergency, and there’s no reason to avoid the dentist if one occurs during COVID-19. Rest assured, practices are cleaning their dental instruments and following strict sterilization protocols, paired with proper screening of patients to ensure that everyone remains safe from infection.
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