“The World Health Organization said Tuesday [August
11] that routine, non-essential dental work should be delayed until COVID-19
transmission rates drop sufficiently, cautioning against procedures that
produce aerosol spray from patients' mouths.
“The WHO said check-ups, dental cleanings and preventive care could be
postponed, as it released guidance for dentists on how to minimize the risk of
transmission during the coronavirus pandemic.
“The United Nations health agency said now that dental services
had begun to resume in many countries, several procedures could be done in a
way that minimized aerosol, or micro-droplets that hang in the air.
“‘WHO advises that routine non-essential oral health care—which
usually includes oral health check-ups, dental cleanings and preventive care—be
delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission
rates from community transmission to cluster cases,’ the guidance says.
“‘The same applies to aesthetic dental treatments. However,
urgent or emergency oral health care interventions that are vital for
preserving a person's oral functioning, managing severe pain or
securing quality of life should be provided.’
“The WHO said that if possible, patients should be remotely
screened before their appointments. The interim guidance, dated August 3, was
aired by the WHO on Tuesday.
Close proximity
“The WHO said dentists were at high risk of being infected with
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. ‘Oral health care teams work in
close proximity to patients' faces for prolonged periods,’ the organization
said.
“‘Their procedures involve face-to-face communication
and frequent exposure to saliva, blood, and other body fluids and handling
sharp instruments. Consequently, they are at high risk of being infected with
SARS-CoV-2 or passing the infection to patients.’
“Aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) include dental cleaning
with an ultrasonic scaler and polishing, work with high or low-speed
hand-pieces, surgical tooth extraction and implant placement.
“The guidance listed ways in which broken dentures and
orthodontic appliances, and extensive dental caries, could be treated while
minimizing or avoiding AGPs. The WHO's dental chief Benoit Varenne told
reporters that oral disease was a neglected health burden in many countries,
affecting people throughout their lives.
“‘At the global level, last estimates that are
available show that 3.5 billion are affected by oral disease,’ he said. ‘Untreated
dental caries in permanent teeth is the most common health condition in human
beings.’ He said that in a survey, 75 percent of WHO member states said dental
services had been completely or partially disrupted during the pandemic. Varenne
also voiced concern about the availability of personal protective equipment for
dentists working during the pandemic” (Medicalexpress.com).
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