https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr What is the direct correlation between dental treatment and the spread of the COVID-19 virus? en-us 2020-03-25 11:11:58 UTC 2020-03-28 12:28:14 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/475764079
Coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19, has rapidly become a worldwide emergency. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently declared the global pandemic. The pathogen responsible for such infection is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Dentistry becomes a risk branch as the COVID-19 virus was recently identified in saliva of infected patients. Saliva can have a pivotal role in the human-to-human transmission. Dentists and other healthcare professionals that perform aerosol-generating procedures may be unknowingly providing direct care for infected but not yet diagnosed COVID-19 patients, or those considered to be suspected cases for surveillance. As in bronchoscopy, inhalation of airborne particles and aerosols produced during dental procedures on patients with COVID-19 can be a high-risk procedure in which dentists are directly and closely exposed to this virus. Therefore, it is crucial for dentists to refine preventive strategies to avoid the COVID-19 infection by focusing on patient placement, hand hygiene and all personal protective equipment (PPE).

Due to the characteristics of dental settings, the risk of cross infections may be high between dental practitioners and patients. For dental practices and hospitals all over the world (the outbreak is pandemic), strict and effective infection control protocols are urgently needed. Due to the unique characteristics of dental procedures where a large number of droplets and aerosols could be generated, the standard protective measures in daily clinical work are not effective enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially when patients are in the incubation period, are unaware they are infected or choose to conceal their infection.

The management practice of the operating area should be quite similar to what happens with other patients affected by infectious and highly contagious diseases. As often as possible, the staff should work at an adequate distance from patients; furthermore, handpieces must be equipped with anti-reflux devices to avoid contaminations, improving the risk of cross-infections. Dentists should take strict personal protection measures and avoid or minimize operations that can produce droplets or aerosols. The 4-handed technique is beneficial for controlling infection. The use of saliva ejectors with low or high volume can reduce the production of droplets and aerosols

Hand hygiene has been considered the most critical measure for reducing the risk of transmitting microorganism to patients . SARS-CoV-2 can persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days, depending on the type of surface, the temperature or the humidity of the environment. This reinforces the need for good hand hygiene and the importance of thorough disinfection of all surfaces within dental clinics. Every surface in the waiting room must be considered at risk; therefore, in addition to providing adequate periodic air exchange, all surfaces, chairs, magazines and doors that come into contact with healthcare professionals and patients must be considered “potentially infected”. It may be useful to make alcoholic disinfectants and masks available to patients in waiting rooms. The entire air conditioning system must be sanitized very frequently.
The use of personal protective equipment (including masks, gloves, gowns and goggles or face shields) is recommended to protect skin and mucosa from (potentially) infected blood or secretions.


]]> 2020-03-26 05:36:28 UTC https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/475764079 https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/478364901 COVID-19 is known to spread through direct contact and airborne droplets. Thus, the dental treatment are considered a high risk procedure as it involves aerosol-generating procedures. Neeltje van Doremalen, a virologist at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), and her colleagues at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, have done some of the first tests of how long Sars-CoV-2 can last for on different surfaces. Their study shows that the virus could survive in droplets after 3 hours of being coughed out into the air. The results of the study indicate that aerosol and fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is plausible, since the virus can remain viable and infectious in aerosols for hours and on surfaces up to days.]]> 2020-03-27 13:27:26 UTC https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/478364901 https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/479584656 Prevention By Professionals at Working Settings

Despite management on methods for handling patient, physical facilities for dental treatment should also be taken into consideration.Based on Center for Diseases Control and Prevention in US, routine cleaning and disinfection  can prevent the healthcare facilities from  becoming sources of diseases to spread.The area where aerosol generating procedures being done must be given priority.In hospital setting,laundry,food services utensils and medical waste must be managed in accordance with routine procedures.Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens are recommended for use against SARS-CoV-2.]]> 2020-03-28 12:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/eclipses97/kruuvfequhmr/wish/479584656