Safer Restorative Dentistry during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The onset of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China in early December 2019 was regarded as a local, severe respiratory disease. This perception has been changed due to the shocking impact and the way the disease has overwhelmed the public healthcare of many nations with grave illness and deaths affecting millions of persons around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to emerging challenges and responsibilities worldwide, with increased risk of the infection to healthcare professionals. This is apparent with the increasing numbers of infected cases detected among health care workers.

There is need for safer restorative dental practice in the COVID-19 era, which can be achieved by instituting and sustaining measures that will prevent the spread of the disease during restorative dental care. These measures include the vaccination of both clinical and non-clinical restorative dental staff, tele triaging of patients, strict implementation of appointment-based treatments as well as maintaining physical distancing of at least 2 meters in operative and non-operative areas like receptions. Other measures include entry level hand sanitization, proper hand hygiene before and after procedures, use of PPEs, utilization of individualized operatories with doors, limitation of aerosol-generating procedures, the practice of four-handed dentistry with high suction, the avoidance of periapical radiographs where possible, ensuring adequate ventilation, employment of proper sterilization and disinfection after each procedure and the sterilization of phones or wristwatches using ultra-violet light at the end of the working day.