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Helping Our Dental Patients Through the Coronavirus Crisis

As this coronavirus situation has unfolded, all of us – your dentists, the dental team, and our patients – have been faced with questions about how to lead our daily lives while being told we must stay at home. And we’ve all felt how uncomfortable and frustrating the uncertainty and restrictions can be. All of us at LakeView Family Dental and MayFair Dental Associates have seen that those feelings are magnified when your health, or that of a family member, is the cause of that uncertainty.

We’re now getting numerous questions every day from our family of dental patients, about handling their dental appointments and needs, since the stay at home measures went into place. We hope that by sharing the answers to the most common questions you’ll feel more confident in dealing with your dental health during this time.

Is my dental office open? We are here for you!

Dental offices are allowed to see patients that are having an emergency. At LakeView Family Dental 248-363-3304 and MayFair Dental Associates 248-851-3030, we’re staffing the phones, as we should be, while we are all sheltering in place. So don’t worry if you should run into a problem – we can and will provide emergency care. You maybe asked to phone or video conference with your dentist. This is called TeleDentistry and allows you and your dentist to have a consultation to assess your problem without you needing to come into the office. After the consultation your dentist can determine what the appropriate next steps may be.

On March 16th, the American Dental Association issued guidelines advising dentists nationwide to postpone non-emergency procedures. At LakeView Family Dental and MayFair Dental Associates we have chosen to follow these guidelines along with the State of Michigan Orders. We deeply believe that this will help limit exposure to and transmission of the virus for patients and team members, and it also helps preserve and extend the supply of personal protective equipment which is badly needed in both hospitals and dental offices.

What is considered a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies, according to the American Dental Association, “are potentially life threatening and require immediate treatment to stop ongoing tissue bleeding [or to] alleviate severe pain or infection.”
What constitutes an emergency is actually pretty simple – it’s about pain or trauma. Some common dental emergencies include:

• Severe dental pain (“toothache”)
• Pain from a wisdom tooth
• Post-operative pain from a dental surgery or procedure
• An abscess or localized pain and swelling
• A broken tooth resulting in pain or that is cutting your tongue or cheek
• A tooth being knocked out
• Dental treatment if a temporary crown or bridge is lost, broken, or causing gum irritation

Other emergency dental care includes extensive decay or defective fillings causing pain; removal of stitches; denture adjustments on radiation/oncology patients; denture adjustments or repairs when it makes it difficult to chew; replacing a temporary filling on a tooth with a root canal if you are experiencing pain; and snipping or adjustments of an orthodontic wire or appliances that are cutting the lips or cheeks.

What happens when I get to the dental office with an emergency?

In our office we are making efforts to arrange appointments so that there would be limited contact between patients. In fact, we are scheduling emergency appointments so that two patients would not be in the same part of the office at the same time.

In accordance with the state executive orders we request that all non-patients remain in the car. Your safety and reducing the possible spread of the virus between patients is of the utmost importance.

Our dentists or team members will ask questions and for everyone’s safety you’ll want to answer honestly. These questions may include:

• Have you had symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19? (common symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, running nose or sore throat)
• Within the past 14 days have you travelled by airplane?
• Within the past 14 days have you been in close proximity (less than 6 feet) at a gathering of 10 or more persons?
• Within the past 14 days have you had close contact with a person who has been confirmed positive or suspected to be positive for COVID-19?

You will be required to sign a Patient Request for Treatment, Representations and Consent document. Dentists will also monitor the health of our team in order to limit possible exposure to the virus.

If your dentist is then comfortable with the answers to the screening questions and your condition does need emergency attention, then we will make every effort to get you comfortable.

Even if you have what might qualify as an emergency, the dentist will evaluate if a procedure can be delayed. This judgment would be based on assuring that waiting shouldn’t cause you undue harm or pain. An example is a lost or broken filling where a temporary filling can be easily placed, and you can return in the future for the final filling.

What safety measures will the office take if I have to come in for an emergency treatment?

As healthcare providers, dentists and their teams are trained on the CDC guidelines for infection control and using the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as mask and gloves.

LakeView Family Dental and May Fair Dental Associates teams have been trained in the latest ways to minimize the possibility of transmitting the virus. We’re disinfecting doorknobs and countertops. From the front desk to the treatment rooms everything is wiped down regularly and at the end of each day. We are going the extra mile to make sure every inch of the treatment areas and equipment are disinfected.

If I'm missing my checkup should I do anything differently?

Make sure you are brushing and flossing. Do everything you would normally do as it is extremely important to continue to do the best job possible to maintain your oral health.

Since many of us will have extra time on our hands make sure you brush at least twice a day for 2 minutes.
If you feel like you want to take extra steps to protect your hygiene during this time here are a few ideas:

1. 1. Use a powered toothbrush such as an Oral B (our personal favorite)
2. 2. Use an irrigation device such as a Waterpik
3. 3. Use your favorite mouth wash, such as OraCare.
4. 4. Floss – if you don’t currently floss it’s a great opportunity to get in the habit. You have the extra time and once you’re in the habit you’ll like the extra clean feeling along with strengthening your gums!

Stay home, stay safe and know that we're here for you.

During this time that we’re all asked to stay home unless you have a dental emergency, meaning pain or trauma. If you’re still confused or unclear as to whether you need to be seen in the office, call LakeView Family Dental 248-363-3304 or MayFair Dental Associates 248-851-3030. Our entire team is here for you, as are our dental colleagues for patients all over the country and the world for that matter.

During this time there will be a lot of things that may seem different in the dental office but as soon as the virus is under control and it is safe to return for normal dental treatment, we’ll be happy to welcome you back!

Stay Safe and Healthy.
Your Dentists and Dental Teams,