Dentists’ work overlooked in Covid-19 panic

GENUINE PHOBIAS and jokes aside, a visit to the dentist is tremendously important and not just for the health of your teeth.

My training and experience also encompasses caring for the muscles of the head, the neck, the jaw and the tongue.

I also look for lumps, swellings, discolouration, anything in fact that might indicate a problem elsewhere in the body.

No wonder our colleagues in other parts of the health service respect us so much.

What a pity then that our practices were closed down at the first sign of lockdown, and that not enough thought was put into how you will receive such vital care.

The picture is currently this. With practices practically shut (we are allowed to carry out support duties under the heading “the three A’s” advice, analgesia and antibiotics), Urgent Care Centres have been created to take the strain.

However, newspaper reports and social media from across the country tells us that queues for treatment are long, resulting in severe pain and the overuse of antibiotics to curb infection.

There are very great fears that taking those drugs could lead to bacteria in the patient becoming resistant to antibiotics and spiralling into the deadly condition sepsis (of which, more later).

GPs – and even A&E departments – have long complained that lack of dental provision means that patients often present, needing urgent pain relief. That is beginning to escalate, too.

Family doctors recently told a survey by medical practitioners MGP that online consultations meant they were worried about missing important symptoms of what might be emerging cancer.

This concerns me greatly, too. As a practitioner in a relatively small community, I know my patients. And it is my role to be one of their pivotal health carers, in person.

Examination and contact means I can spot problems (and for those a little more in the know, I believe we do have the PPE to carry out extraction or draining an abscess without aerosol generating procedures).

Back at the emergency dental hubs, patients are being told they cannot receive treatment for infection without one to two doses of antibiotics.

As a proud member of Antibiotic Research UK’s Education Committee and campaigner for better use of antibiotics, this is (if you’ll pardon the pun) a real kick in the teeth.

New research from America has shown that around threequarters of patients treated for Covid-19 in ICUs were given antibiotics to presumably treat infection. Just eight per cent actually needed them.

Dentistry therefore is adding to a catastrophic health problem that could see antibiotics actually run out. The World Health Organisation predicts that 10 million people could perish from antibiotic resistant infections by 2050.

Since the overuse of the drugs contributes greatly to the problem, UK dentistry could be increasing that death toll.

That is such a tragedy and a huge step backwards, especially as our profession had previously made huge efforts to reduce the prescribing of needless antibiotics.

The setting up of emergency dental provision during Covid-19 was driven by panic, with centres opened too late. The fact that dentists from 14 dental practices have taken it upon themselves to establish an urgent care centre in York speaks volumes.

My great hope from this outbreak is that people begin to take the issue of health seriously.

My great hope from this deadly Covid-19 outbreak is that people begin to take the issue of health seriously. They need to recognise that antibiotic resistance is the next universal health concern and support Antibiotic Research UK in saving modern medicine and developing new treatments.

And the new-found respect for health carers, so obvious in the eight o’clock weekly applause, needs to continue with the voices from all branches on the front line listened to and respected.

Including dentistry.

■ Dentist and teacher Dr Sarah Glover is a valued supporter and Education Committee Member for Antibiotic Research UK. Learn more about their work at https://www. antibioticresearch.org.uk

If you are concerned about an ongoing drug-resistant condition, you can email them at patient.support@ antibioticresearch.org.uk or telephone 07367 784114.