Emergency Dental Care And The Covid-19 Pandemic

We all know a dental emergency can strike unexpectedly to anyone at any time. And most of these dental issues won't subside on their own. If you have an aching tooth, the pain won't go away without treatment. If you have chipped or fractured a tooth, it will only get worse if left untreated. Your tooth sensitivity to temperatures will only get severe when time passes. When the world is waiting to get out of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are battling with the crucial question, "is my dental problem urgent to need immediate medical attention?"

Read on to know what qualifies a dental emergency during the Covid-19 pandemic and learn what dental practices do to accommodate people who need emergency dental services.

What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency can be any oral-facial issue that includes facial trauma and affects the mouth or facial bones that will become much worse if you don't receive immediate care. 

An issue is considered as a dental emergency if the patient experiences the following: 

• Severe pain
• The presence of an infection
• The threat of long-term consequences if treatment is not received 

What To Do If You Face A Dental Emergency During The Pandemic? 

You can visit your dentist for dental care if you have a dental emergency, as emergency dental care is deemed an essential service during this outbreak. 

How Do We Treat Dental Emergencies?

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have practiced more care than before to keep our patients and staff safe. We are always willing and happy to help patients with dental emergencies, even during these times of uncertainty. 

However, we have changed our protocols to ensure more safety. When the patients arrive at our dental office, we conduct their temperature checks and screening. We will check the severity of the patient's dental issue by visual examination and oral x-rays and suggest suitable treatments as per the requirement. We prescribe suitable medication and perform restorations or surgery if needed. 

What If My Dental Issue is Urgent, But Not an Emergency?

If you encounter a dental situation that is not an emergency but needs urgent care, you can try teledentistry to have virtual consultations. You may be able to receive a preliminary dental exam via a mobile device or laptop with a camera and microphone. Teledentistry would be the next best thing to visiting an emergency dentist for the time being.

Dr. Peter Yeh, DDS at Covington Signature Dentistry, helps patients with emergency dental needs. Call our dental office at (253) 638-9955 or schedule an appointment online.