With the corona virus outbreak effecting almost 2 million people across the world a real challenge emerges for dental practitioners.
As dental surgeons performing directly in the oral cavity of patients, they are at highest risk. With new emerging cases of corona positive patients doctors have also found completely asymptomatic cases which are next to impossible for dental surgeons to diagnose.
Most of the dental procedures are associated with aerosol production. According to literature aerosols generated from dental procedures can travel up to one meter. WHO considered aerosols are most common way of spread of infection, so it becomes very difficult task for dental surgeons to carry out safe procedures.
These aerosols can infect the surgeons as well as patients and can also contaminate the surfaces for hours. In India, most of the dental surgeons have shut down their practices because of corona virus infection fear. Tooth pain is considered as one of the most severe pains.
As dentists are refusing to carry out dental procedures and providing only telephonic consultations, patients are suffering a lot. In these circumstances even if dental surgeons are ready to risk their own health to provide treatment it is risky for the patients too.
One more mental trauma for dental surgeons is financial strain. In India lakhs of dental surgeons graduate every year. But because of minimal job opportunities mostly set up their own dental practices.
With the clinics shut under the current conditions dental surgeons are in stage of dilemma. Even after curfew is lifted and lockdown ends it won’t be easy for dentists to restart their practices. As one cannot know who is a corona virus carrier and it can lead to resurgence of disease.
Some senior dental practitioners recommending use of personal protective equipments (PPE) kits while performing dental procedures. But in the current scenario even the frontline doctors dealing with corona virus patients are facing shortage of PPE kits.
As many private manufacturers producing these PPE kits in bulk the effectiveness of these kits is questionable too. Only ray of hope in these circumstances is an early invention of corona virus vaccine otherwise the future of dentistry is not so bright.
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Dr. Himanshu Sood, MDS, Mandi Gobindgarh
soodhimanshu4@gmail.com
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