WHO urges public avoid routine dental

[Lewis Clark]

So, given that I don't have any current issues BUT I am prone to cavities and other dental problems, what do you all think about whether I should keep my appointment next week for a routine cleaning and checkup or not? This is what my dentist has on their website, which has me feeling somewhat better about keeping it:

My dentist is advertising similar precautions. My wife and I are planning to go to previously scheduled appointments in September unless a huge hot spot flares up locally.

 

[Jeffman52]

I have been to my dentist for a cleaning and a crown replacement in the last 3 months.
They have less seating than they had to space them out. They have limited the number of people in there at any time. You must have an appt. You must wear a mask while inside until they tell you to take it off. They put tables next to the access to the office area (where you make appts and such) so that people cant be right next to them. The Dentist, his assistant and the detail hygenist all wore masks while I was being treated. I never felt they were not using every precaution.

My crowns are about 35 years old. Great that they lasted this long. Sadly they are starting to fail. I have another appt later this month for the next replacement. Going to get everything I can done before my 2022 date. Dont want to be paying full price for this work!

 

[JoeWras]

Turns out last late Feb. I made my appt. for first patient in the morning, as is my habit for the last 30 years. So, I'm going next week.

 

[Maenad]

I went in last week, they had similar protections others have mentioned - limited chairs in the waiting area, requests not to come in early, etc. I found out when I got there that my long-time hygienist had retired rather than come back after the spring lockdown, so I had someone new. My dentist mentioned that as far as he knew there hadn't been a single case of transmission in the U.S. linked to dental care, so that made me feel better.

 

[Sunset]

My appointment felt pretty safe, so I thought I'd report back on how it went..... since they wanted me to do a questionnaire and temperature check. .....

..... after I sat down in the chair and she gave me a rinse specifically to help cut down on transmission,.....

Sounds like a lot of theater and drama, with little actual usefulness.

Many of us have had the questionaire - "are you feeling sick, cough, covid"? duh... I'm here so not going home, so duh... no

The rinse will really only clean the mouth, now if they gave you shots of strong vodka to swallow, to kill the virus in the back of the actual throat.

 

[harllee]

DH and I went yesterday to our dentist for the normal cleaning, felt safe. Good thing we went --the dentist found a crack in one of DH's back tooth that could have developed into a problem (I had a cracked tooth earlier in the summer that got infected and abcessed and I had to have a root canal). DH has to return for a crown on the cracked tooth in a few weeks.

We are being very careful because we are older and at higher risk. We weigh everything we do on a risk/reward basis--is the activity important enough to us versus the risk of Covid. We have decided dentist and doctor appointments are worth the risk because our health and teeth are very important. On the other hand, we have decided eating at a restaurant is not worth the risk--we do take out or cook at home.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Sounds like a lot of theater and drama, with little actual usefulness.

Many of us have had the questionaire - "are you feeling sick, cough, covid"? duh... I'm here so not going home, so duh... no

The rinse will really only clean the mouth, now if they gave you shots of strong vodka to swallow, to kill the virus in the back of the actual throat.

Well, considering they were poking around in and scraping parts of my mouth, gargling with the rinse is more than just theater. I'd say that more of the temperature check, since it doesn't eliminate asymptomatic spreaders, but it does at least screen out those who really are sick but just being stubborn about it.

But to be extra sure, I did my own whisky "rinse" before my appointment.

 

[SunnyOne]

Sad News about my Oral Surgeon/Question

I have learned this morning that my oral surgeon passed away from COVID in July of this year.

My most recent appointment with him was back in February when he placed my implant. I called this morning to schedule a follow up.

This is sad news. He was a great guy.

They have referred me to another surgeon in their office.

Now I am extremely hesitant and am considering postponing any further dental appointments until 2021.

My location is NoVA, about 25 miles west of DC. The rates here have stabilized and yet....

Are you currently keeping your dental appointments or rescheduling? location probably matters if you care to share.

Thanks

 

[Koolau]

I receive a post card every 6 months reminding me to visit my dentist. Unfortunately, he is on the mainland. When we lost our (incredibly cheap Megacorp supplied) dental insurance, we stopped doing the 6-month prophylaxis visits (one here in the Islands, the other on the mainland.) We went to once a year which coincides with our mainland visit. So, now looks like it could be 2 years in between cleanings. The good news: Our dentist/hygienist doesn't even comment on our cleanings after one year. I asked last time (after one year in between) and hygienist complimented me on my home care! We'll see if after 2 years she says the same thing. YMMV

 

[RobbieB]

I got my cleaning done last week after missing (covid cancel) my regular 4 months ago. A little more pain involved as a little more plaque build up. Going in Monday to get a filling replaced.

I care more about my dental health than I care about the who.

 

[badatmath]

My dentist had no precautions. Same as always he wore mask but front desk staff did not and they hosed down my teeth. Didn't ask if I had been sick either.

I haven't found one I liked since my old one retired. But he said no trouble found.

 

[RobbieB]

Mine does. Call from parking lot to see if ready. Doc and hygienist masked, goggled and face shielded. Nobody in waiting room.

 

[badatmath]

Mine does. Call from parking lot to see if ready. Doc and hygienist masked, goggled and face shielded. Nobody in waiting room.

The veterinarians I use had a lot more precautions.

 

[mpeirce]

Mine does. Call from parking lot to see if ready. Doc and hygienist masked, goggled and face shielded. Nobody in waiting room.

I got my teeth cleaned and checked earlier this week - same precautions as above. Also rinsed with H2O2 before the cleaning. They said it’s quite effective against viruses.

 

[sengsational]

I had a very old crown come off a few weeks ago and felt I needed to get it addressed because the teeth migrate quicker than one might imagine.

So I was in the chair for an hour and a half. Everyone except me had a mask (just surgical type). I was worried enough to break out the few little prophylaxis remedies I'd been not taking (because I hadn't had any potential exposures). It's been 9 days, so I feel I'm in the clear, but I'm only fitted with a temporary crown. I need to go back for a short visit to have them put on the permanent one.

I haven't decided what to say when the scheduling person asks me about my 6 month cleaning (which I'd earlier canceled).

 

[Chuckanut]

I had a cleaning set for this week and I canceled it.

My county's rolling 7 Day Infection Rate has doubled in the past 45 days. And, of course, that is a reflection of one to two weeks ago, so who knows what it is today. I realize a lot of that increase is from opening the local University and its Greek Row as well as general student partying. If I was of Greek descent I think I would demand the give themselves a different name - maybe Bacchanalia Row. I am really starting to think that to open K-12 schools we may need to simply shut down all colleges.

My dentist has also sold the practice to somebody new and I have no idea how good this new dentist is. So, I will stay home for a while. I did get a haircut about three weeks ago. The previous time when I had a haircut and my teeth cleaned the infection rate had dropped to the lowest since this thing hit.

FWIW, most people in my area wear masks and seem to be complying with basic safety precautions: wash hands, wear a mask, avoid big crowds.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

We feel comfortable at our dentist.

 

[Time2]

My eye doctors office is taking precautions. You wait until the door is opened for you in the sealed entrance, then your temperature is taken. A series of 5 or 6 question are ask, you sign that page, then you must sign a release that if you get Covid, the eye doc is not liable.

 

[Freedom56]

I had to go the the dentist yesterday at UCLA to repair an old crown. The UCLA Westwood campus contains a large hospital complex but was like a ghost town. I have never seen it this empty and we both have been coming here for over 25 years for our preventive medical care. People are still avoiding elective surgery and even basic preventive care. Mask are mandatory around outside and inside the buildings. We both wore 3M N95 masks. There was no way we would risk going to a hospital campus without some level of protection. When we entered the medical plaza where the dental office is located, they took our temperature and tagged us with our body temperature. We had to apply hand sanitizer and the made sure everyone wore their masks correctly. They limited the number of people entering each elevator. Outside the entrance to the dental office another person verified the appointment took our temperature again and only let patients enter the dental office and you have to be there 15 minutes before the appointment. They also asked some questions regarding any symptoms consistent with COVID-19. There was no more than 2 minutes wait time after checking in to my appointment versus the usual 20-30 minute delay before being seated in the dentist chair. I was the only one in the waiting area when I entered and they blocked of 75% of the seats. A mask had to be worn before and after the procedure. They also make all patients rinse their mouth with hydrogen peroxide for one minute before they perform any procedures. They are definitely taking a lot of precautions and they are also much better organized.

 

[Jeffman52]

I have had two crowns replaced in the last few months and a routine cleaning. No issues.