La actual pandemia de coronavirus ha detenido al mundo, restringiendo el movimiento público y haciéndonos más conscientes que nunca de la facilidad con la que se puede propagar un virus.La interacción humana, tanto personal como profesional, también se ha modificado para adherirse a las medidas de seguridad personal sugeridas por las autoridades de salud pública.Las empresas sanitarias no son una excepción.

Si bien las clínicas médicas y dentales ya tienen un alto nivel de procedimientos de limpieza y desinfección, la pandemia de coronavirus ha elevado ese estándar aún más.Pero, ¿cuáles son las mejoras en la protección de la salud del paciente que se están realizando en las clínicas de dentistas en Tijuana?

Evaluación del paciente

En primer lugar, las clínicas dentales deben saber que sus pacientes están sanos y libres de infecciones, tanto para la protección de otros pacientes como del personal de la clínica.Después de llegar a su clínica dental, se le harán un par de preguntas (ya sea directamente o mediante un cuestionario) sobre su salud general y sus hábitos de viaje en los últimos 14 días.Estas preguntas incluyen:

·        ¿Siente fiebre, falta de aire o dolor de cabeza en este momento o en los últimos 14 días?

·        Have you had any respiratory problem (including dry or hacking cough) in the past 14 days?

·        Have you been in close contact with someone who presented respiratory symptoms in the past 14 days?

·        Have you been in close contact with someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus or atypical pneumonia?

·        Have you or someone you have been in close contact with traveled to any country of risk during the coronavirus outbreak?

Staff prevention procedures

Dentists, dental assistants and administrative staff are required to do the following before and after having direct contact with a patient:

·        Thorough hand washing with water and soap

·        Drying with disposable towels

·        Applying hand sanitizing gel

·        Wearing personal protection equipment, which includes:

o  Facemasks

o  Disposable gloves (changed between patients)

o  Disposable medical cap

o  Disposable gown

o  Protection mask

o  Use of surgical saliva ejectors

Surface disinfection

One of the riskiest aspects of the current coronavirus outbreak is that many carriers are not aware of being infected, which is what has allowed the virus to spread as far and fast as it does currently. Therefore it is responsibility of the dental clinic to make a thorough disinfection of any area or surface that the patients and staff come into contact with. This will reduce the possibilities of infection to the minimum, even if the patients are unaware that they are infected or they do not present symptoms.

What materials do dental clinics use to disinfect surfaces?

·        Water and alcohol (≥70%) mixture

·        Water and Sodium hypochlorite (1%) mixture

Reading materials such as leaflets and magazines are also removed from the waiting room in order to avoid constant manipulation which can increase infection risks.

Since surfaces are scrubbed clean after every patient appointment, your dentist may ask you to wait a bit longer than usual after finishing the previous patient’s treatment. If you had an appointment already set your dentist may call you to change the agreed hour in order to make time for a proper surface disinfection. Remember that this is for your safety!

Dental practice protection methods

Since coronavirus is spread mainly by saliva droplets, dentists face a singular challenge in ensuring patient and staff safety. Normal dental practice creates a lot of spraying depending on the tool that is being used, especially the high speed hand pieces. How are dentists changing their dental practice to prevent contamination?

·        Peroxide-based mouth washing prior to procedure. Your dentist will provide you with a mouth wash before starting your procedure and you must rinse your mouth for at least one minute. This will reduce the amount of virus and bacteria in your mouth and prevent infection from spraying saliva.

·        Four-hands method, which involves both the dentist and a dental assistant, in order to maximize the procedure’s efficiency and reducing the procedure’s time, and therefore patient-staff interaction and infection risks.

·        Using rubber dam isolation. These dams cover your mouth while it’s open, avoiding excessive saliva production and exposing only one or few tooth that will be worked upon.

En conclusión, es seguro visitar a su dentista en Tijuana durante este brote de coronavirus.Aquí en Dental Studio estamos tomando las mejores medidas sanitarias para que usted y su familia estén seguros y saludables.No dude en llamarnos si tiene más preguntas sobre nuestros procedimientos de seguridad.