Dental treatments may have to wait longer

Dental treatments may have to wait longer

Most dentists are still concerned after one of them tested positive for COVID-19

02/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER,BENGALURU

sebastian francis

Your toothache may have to wait longer before your dentist fixes it. Though a few dentists have restarted their practice, they are only offering out patient services and not conducting procedures. However, a majority of dentists are still concerned over the spread of COVID-19 and are yet to return to work.

Even those who had opened their clinics are now contemplating shutting them again after a dentist who had restarted her practice in HSR Layout tested positive for COVID-19 three days ago.

“The dentist contracting the infection has set in a fear psychosis in the community. We are scared to restart our practices,” said Sudarshan Sajjan, hon. secretary, Indian Dental Association, Bengaluru Branch. “With respiratory and saliva droplets being one of the main sources for the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, our work poses the great risk of contracting the infection. There is no way we can escape coming in contact with saliva droplets. Social distancing has no meaning in a dental clinic,” he said.

The few who have restarted their practice are also a worried lot today. A. Yeshwanth, a dentist with a chain of dental clinics in the city, said while they were not doing any procedures that involved the usage of aerosols — an air and water hose used in dental procedures — as it spreads droplets, they were taking utmost precautions otherwise. “All the dentists and their assistants wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits while seeing the patients. Use of disinfectants to sanitise the patient’s body, especially mouths, thermal guns to check temperatures and a detailed medical history are some of the other measures in place,” he explained.

The Dental Council of India issued a detailed advisory on May 7, which has categorised dental issues as emergency, urgent and has advised against performing any procedures that involves use of aerosols. This essentially rules out root canals, implants and most other surgical procedures, leaving many patients disappointed. “I had the first few sittings for a root canal in March, but before the procedure was completed, lockdown began. The dentist asked me to wait till things settle down, which doesn’t seem to have happened even two months later,” said Meera C., a resident of Malleshpalya.

Dr. Sajjan hasn’t restarted his practice yet. “I have put up my contact number on the doors of my clinic. Anyone can call me. I have opened the clinic twice during lockdown to conduct emergency procedures. But for that, I have been prescribing medicines online or over phone. Most patients tell they are in extreme pain and claim their case is an emergency. But we are scared to conduct any procedure. Some dentists have also asked for COVID-19 test reports before treating patients,” he said.

The Indian Dental Association, Bengaluru Branch, has distributed over 5,000 PPE kits to dentists. “Of the nearly 1,500 dentists in the city, I think less than 20% of them have opened shop,” he said.

IDA, Bengaluru Branch, has also approached the Department of Health and Family Welfare seeking a relief package that includes subsidy on PPE kits, dental equipment, tax waivers and a minimum income support scheme. “Dental clinics are essentially small businesses and over two months of lockdown has pushed most of them to the brink. We need to pay salaries and rents, which many are not able to manage,” Dr. Sajjan said.