How should a dental emergency be handled in the midst of a global pandemic like COVID-19? Our Calgary dentists provide guidance.
Do you have a dental emergency during COVID-19?
Though so much of our daily lives have been turned upside down, at least one thing remains constant for dentists and their patients: dental emergencies.
But how do you handle a dental emergency safely during these times, while respecting social distancing guidelines? Today, we’ll share a few tips.
Define your emergency
The first thing to do is to determine whether you have an urgent dental emergency that needs a dentist’s immediate attention. If you’re experiencing any of the following, call us right away:
- Chipped, broken or knocked out tooth
- Toothache that you cannot remedy yourself with over-the-counter pain medication
- Severe swelling on your face, neck or mouth
- Ulcers in your mouth
- Lost crowns or fillings
- Sore or bleeding gums
- Sensitive teeth
- Teething
New Rules & Regulations Under COVID-19
If you come to our office during a dental emergency, you'll notice that it looks a little different than usual and that protocols and extra precautions are in place to keep our staff and patients safe.
If you have a dental emergency, you can rest assured that we are equipped to manage it safely. Learn more about our COVID-19 protocols here.
How should I handle a dental emergency during a global pandemic such as COVID-19?
By now, we’re all familiar with social distancing and pandemic safety rules, but how does that translate to the dentist’s office? Here are a few actions you can take:
Contact us early. If you have a dental emergency, please do not hesitate to call. We can give you advice over the phone and schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Save this page or type "dentist near me" into your favourite search engine, and our information will most likely appear.
Apply ice. Hold an ice pack or cold compress to the affected area.
Locate the lost tooth. If you’ve lost a tooth, try to locate it and rinse it with water. Hold the tooth in the socket it fell out of, or place it in a container of milk. Your dentist may be able to attach it.
Answer screening questions. When you call our office, your dentist or their staff will ask you a series of pre-screening questions to determine whether you have COVID-19 symptoms. If this is the case, we can refer you to another office or make other arrangements.
Wear a face mask and use hand sanitizer. Wearing a face mask and using 70 to 90 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entering or leaving the building are two precautions to take.
Respect social distancing guidelines. We will schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible. If you must wait in the waiting room, chairs are spaced 2 metres apart. As we try to reduce the number of touchable surfaces, there will be no magazines or other non-essential items.
Dentists will wear protective gear. In addition to surgical face masks, your dentist and their staff will wear personal protective equipment during in-person appointments.
Attend your appointment alone. Plan to attend your appointment alone (exceptions are made for children or people who require assistance).
Pay via touchless payment. Plan to pay any balance owing on your appointment with your credit card or debit card.