Due to the emergence of the COVID-19 crisis, visiting a dentist with clean air is important now more than ever. When your dentist uses fast-moving instruments, such as a polisher, it can create a plume of harmful aerosols that can spread throughout the treatment area, and potentially further. That’s why it’s vital to visit a dentist with clean air and who uses advanced chairside suction. Read on to learn more about the creation of dental aerosols and how dentists are working to purify the air and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
What are Dental Aerosols & How Are They Created?
When your dentist uses their ultrasonic polisher to brighten your smile, it causes splatter and aerosolized particles of your saliva to create a plume around your mouth. This has always been a concern among dentists, which is why many have chairside suction and air purifiers to reduce the presence. This plume contains airborne particles of illnesses, viruses, and bacteria which can spread and then be breathed in, causing sickness. While they have always been present, they’re especially dangerous during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Do Dental Aerosols Make COVID-19 More Dangerous?
Without the proper advanced equipment to purify the air of harmful aerosols, COVID-19 can become airborne during a dental procedure such as a cleaning. As your dentist buffers your teeth, your saliva will become airborne, and if you’re positive for COVID-19, this includes the virus. As the aerosol plume expands, it can travel throughout the treatment room and practice. Some studies show that they can travel as far as 18 feet. Because COVID-19 is spread via contact with the mucous membrane, when the saliva of an infected person becomes aerosolized, this can cause it to become airborne instead of being transmitted by just the spread of droplets.
Why is it So Important to Visit a Dentist With Advanced Air Filtration?
While all of this sounds daunting and scary, it shouldn’t keep you from visiting a dentist who prioritizes the health hand safety of their patients. Many dentists have prepared by equipping their office with the latest air purification systems and chairside suction technology. What these do is reduce the plume, preventing the spread of airborne particles, and purifying and filtering out any remaining aerosolized particles as soon as they leave the mouth. This eliminates the threat of airborne COVID-19 particles, keeping the dental practice safer for all those who are seeking treatment.
During this pandemic, the best way to choose a dentist who values your health is to find out whether they utilize an air purifier and chairside suction. This will drastically reduce the threat of contracting the virus while receiving the care that you need.
About the Author
Dr. Krista Cayo has always taken her patients’ safety and wellbeing seriously, which is why she has implemented 21 new safety protocols in response to COVID-19 that meet and exceed CDC guidelines. She has also installed an IQ Air HealthPro Plus air purifier which provides maximum infection control of airborne pathogens such as viruses like COVID-19. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the steps she is taking to prioritize her patients’ health, be sure to visit Cayo Dental Care’s website or call 636-928-9693.
