We have all been conditioned to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. We have been told to avoid unnecessary trips. We must keep our mouth and nose covered. So, why would you break all these rules and expose yourself to risk just to go to a routine dental cleaning? Could skipping one teeth cleaning be all that bad? There are plenty of good reasons to make your oral health a priority and get your teeth cleaned during this stressful time.
All precautions are being taken.
Your dentist is practicing infection control and social distancing to make the dental office environment completely safe so every patient feels comfortable passing through their doors. Those efforts include:
- Screening every patient for COVID-19 symptoms
- Questioning whether patients have been in contact with anyone diagnosed with coronavirus
- Waiting in your vehicle for your appointment time
- All patients wear masks
- Checking patient temperature and symptoms upon entering the building
- Hand sanitizer at designated stations
Even more precautions are being taken by staff members individually and as a team when you get your teeth cleaned, or undergo any other procedure, including:
- Temperature checks
- COVID-19 symptom screenings
- Handwashing before and after every patient
- KN95 masks worn at all times
- Wear gloves, protecting eyewear, protective clothing, and face shields during procedures
Patient health and safety is paramount and that is also reflected in the way the dental office is cleaned:
- Continuous cleaning throughout the day and between patients
- Disinfection of exam chairs, headrests, armrests
- Cleaning of dental radiograph equipment, dental chairside computer and keyboards
- Reusable containers of dental materials
- Drawer handles
- Faucet handles
- Countertops
- Cleaning of the front desk, lobby, door handles, light switches, outside chairs, restrooms, and checkout spaces multiple times throughout the day
- Cleaning
- So much more
Your at-home efforts aren’t enough.
We hope you have been taking good care of your teeth during quarantine, but these are difficult times. People are indulging their vices, perhaps eating more sugar, drinking more wine, or smoking more cigarettes, none of which is good for tooth enamel.
Some may be going to sleep without brushing or just finding it difficult to maintain the status quo of cleaning their teeth morning and night amid this chaos. Even if you are brushing and flossing daily as you should, you need your hygienist’s tools and dentist’s expertise to supplement your efforts. Your twice-annual cleaning is critical to ensure that you don’t have tooth decay or gum disease, to scour your enamel and make it gleam, and to check in on your overall oral health.
Feel Safe at the Dentist, Especially During COVID-19
At Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale, we are taking every precaution to ensure that our patients get the oral health care they need without having to worry about their well-being in the process. You should be able to go to the dentist with confidence without feeling like you are increasing your exposure to COVID-19.
Your visit might take a little longer than usual with all the efforts we are making to ensure your safety, the safety of all patients, and the safety of our team, but those few extra minutes of checks and double-checks are worth the peace of mind.
Dr. Charmaine Johnson remains your trusted Fort Lauderdale dentist, and she and her staff are ready to take care of you and your beautiful smile. Contact us today to schedule your cleaning.
