Life has been thrown into chaos due to COVID-19, and many people are experiencing a broad range of issues that can be hard to manage. For example, those with oral health issues typically need regular dental visits to avoid worsening health problems. However, they may feel uncomfortable going to the dentist during this time or wonder if it is a wise choice. Therefore, it is important to know when to visit the dentist and when to stay home.
Regular Health Visits are Tough During COVID-19
Dental care is something that requires regular appointments to get right. Between each cleaning, a person may develop excessive dental plaque that can trigger damage that may spread without proper cleaning and dental care. However, COVID-19 has forced many states to either limit dental visits or has caused many dental experts to limit their regular appointments.
Unfortunately, those who have real dental health problems may find themselves struggling during this period. Although dentists may receive vaccinations soon to help provide care to their patients, those trying to wait for that time may be in rough shape without dental care. Thankfully, it isn't always impossible to get an appointment with a dental professional during these trying times.
Knowing When Dental Visits are Wise During COVID-19
The best step to take in this situation is to reach out to a dentist about an upcoming appointment and see what types of precautions they are taking. Most are pursuing various types of self-distancing guidelines and other types of sanitation steps that help to keep their patients safe. Some are wearing detailed filtered masks that reduce serious infection risks and other types of health dangers.
In some cases, dentists are only taking people who have a serious dental problem. Those who may have intense pain that won't go away probably need a tooth pulled as soon as possible. And typically, dentists will perform this type of procedure to relieve a person's pain. That said, the restrictions vary in each state, and some dental offices may not need to cancel regular appointments if they are following the correct precaution recommendations.
Therefore, it is important to talk with a dentist to learn more about who they are accepting and what type of appointments are best to continue attending. Some may be more open to admitting patients for regular appointments, but others may be more limited in whom they accept. Whatever the situation, it is important for those who have severe oral health issues to handle them properly.
Our oral surgery and general dental website offers important information on how to prevent dry socket following a tooth extraction. After getting your tooth pulled, a protective blood clot develops over the extraction site. Many of our blog posts explain how this protective clot helps promote healing after an extraction.
You'll learn that if the clot is accidentally dislodged, dry socket may occur, which can raise your risk for infection and heavy bleeding. We'll provide you with important tips on how to prevent this by avoiding smoking and drinking through a straw. You'll also learn that swishing water around your mouth should be avoided for a couple of days following your extraction because doing so creates a suction that may dislodge your clot, leading to dry socket.