Dental Check-up During pandemic: Pros and Cons

    Routine dental check up are usually realized every 6 months. However, during the pandemic many patients hesitate to visit the dentist. This is due to concerns about the risk of spreading the Covid-19 virus(Alharbi et al., 2020). This paper will discuss the middle way to check up in dental clinic. but still pay attention to the procedures will do to avoid transmission of the covid-19 virus. This paper are outlined into four sections.the first section is the risk of spreading the covid-19 virus in a dental clinic. Secondly why must postpone checking at the dental clinic during a pandemic,third prevention and personal protective equipment from covid 19, finally why is it permissible to go the dental clinic.

    The first risk of spreading the covid-19 virus in a dental clinic. In the saliva of patients who are the main source because there are salivary gland epithelial cells which may be infected by SARS-CoV(Alharbi et al., 2020). Due to the characteristics of the dental arrangement, the risk of cross infection between the patient and the dental practitioner can be high. Strict and effective infection control protocols are urgently needed for dental practices and hospitals in areas potentially affected by Covid-19(Meng et al., 2020).

The second why must postpone checking at the dental clinic during a pandemic. Having a high risk as a dental therapist for contracting COVID-19 and potentially being infected by patients attending emergency dental services should not be underestimated (Dave et al., 2020). Proactive and preventive action needs to be established as a mainstay program to contain the spread of the virus. Routine dental check-up  in several countries, including the UK have been suspended, to reduce transmission of the corona virus because dental and oral surgical procedures using a drill or ultrasonic instrument cause the release of aerosols

The third prevention and personal protective equipment from covid 19. at the start of the pandemic, when the vaccine was not yet available, personal protective equipment (PPE) 1 had a lot of function in disease control. Apart from the doctor's side, there are special clothes for patients that can cover the patient's hair and clothes, so that if there is residual aerosol treatment that doesn't stick there, if the residue sticks, there is the potential for new infections. Before treatment, patients are also advised to wash their hands and wash their face with antiseptic wet wipes. It is possible that the patient will need to undergo a rapid test as an early detection step before treatment.

in an emergency the use of telemedicine is very helpful. Among them is by doing initial screening(Barabari & Moharamzadeh, 2020). Doctors and patients can determine the right time. That way, patients don't have to wait long. The reason is, each patient must be paused for 30 minutes to clean the room and change the PPE.

        The fourth why is it permissible to go the dental clinic. when a dental patient comes in while it is recommended to take analgesia and antimicrobials. However, if the patient cannot succeed with this approach and requires action it is imperative that the dentist have appropriate PPE and follow strict infection prevention and control guidelines. If treatment is needed, avoid aerosol-generating (AGP) procedures to a minimum in patients who are free of  Covid-19. Patients with COVID-19 who are positive or who are suspected of still needing treatment must be referred to the level of service designated as handling covid-19(Ayub & Alani, 2020).

As for the mandatory procedures that can be done in a dental clinic during this pandemic, including

1. Screen each patient carefully.

2. Classifying patients potentially affected by covid -19 and not.

3. Consider recovering patients as potential virus carriers for 30 days after being declared cured

4. Identify the patient's immediate needs with minimal intervention.

5. Categorize dental treatments according to the urgency of the treatment needed and the risks and benefits associated with each treatment.

6. Identify the dental care required for each patient and the risks and benefits associated with that treatment.

7. Using contact personal protective equipment (PPE) and air is an aerosol-generating procedure appropriate for each procedure.

            With this policy it is hoped that measures such as scaling or cleaning of plaque and tartar on teeth, aesthetic measures should be postponed during a pandemic. However, tooth extraction and filling of cavities may be carried out with due observance of health and safety protocols. Because when doing the action, the dentist is closest to the patient. The patient's mouth and nose are about 15 centimeters apart from us. So the droplets can go anywhere, therefore a lot of tooth action is restricted.

Author: Intan Rachmawati Sumarno

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