Patients slowly gain confidence to visit dentists

TO TAKE care of this situation, most mediumsized dentists have invested in safety and infection control equipment. Safety is not only for the patient but also the dentist and the staff in the clinic.

To go or not go to the dentist is the dilemma of thousands of patients due to the fear of Covid-19. Many of them in the last five months have opted for bearing the pain and managing with medicines.

With the cases finally coming down in greater Hyderabad municipal corporation limits, patients are slowly gaining confidence to go back to dentists for treatment.

Yet infection cannot be ruled out as dentistry involves aerosol procedures and there are bound to be droplets. To take care of this situation, most medium-sized dentists have invested in safety and infection control equipment. Safety is not only for the patient but also the dentist and the staff in the clinic. At the same time, aerosol procedures make it compulsory to wear gowns of triple layers, N 95 masks, face shield, goggles, shoe cover and gloves.

Dentists have to wear this before seeing a patient. After each patient visit, the clinic has to be completely sterilised which is a very time-consuming process.

Despite these hurdles, patients who have for long been managing on medications are being called in for procedures as it is important that the problem must not aggravate. Arun Ganesh, a resident of Shaikpet, said, “I have been waiting to get cavities filled in three teeth. I could finally garner the strength as my dentist convinced me that it will be a safe procedure.”

Root canal treatment, broken teeth, pain in the jaws and teeth and cavities have been some of the most common complaints which were somehow managed by many patients all these months. Dr Mahender Azad, senior dentist with a chain of dental clinics, explained, “Spacing between patients has become very important and at any given time there cannot be more than three to four patients in the clinic. Adaption of high-quality standards of safety has become very important for dentists to carry out even small procedures. While patients have waited during lockdown and also managed post-lockdown, it is now important to re-build trust that they are going to be safe.”

Dental clinics which have opened in the city have to follow infection control and biomedical waste protocols strictly as there is increased risk of cross infections.

The Indian dental association has clearly stated that oral cavities involves millions of different pathogens and if the viral load has to be reduced,pre and post-treatment procedures require care and prevention methods.

A list of preventive steps in terms of gargling, brushing and other protocols have to be followed before entering the clinic in the era of Covid-19.