Journal of Dental Research Publishes Guidelines Concerning COVID-19
The Journal of Dental Research has published a paper written by researchers at Wuhan University School & Hospital of Stomatology with a number of recommendations for dental practitioners and dental students in light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Journal of Dental Research, published by the International Association for Dental Research and the American Association of Dental Research, has published a paper written by researchers at Wuhan University School & Hospital of Stomatology with a number of recommendations for dental practitioners and dental students in light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The virus that causes COVID-19 has been identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2).
Recommendations for clinical practice are provided:
- During the outbreak of COVID-19, dental clinics are recommended to establish pre-check triages to measure and record the temperature of every staff and patient as a routine procedure.
- Preoperative antimicrobial mouth rinse could reduce the number of microbes in the oral cavity.
- Dental emergencies can occur and exacerbate in a short period of time, and therefore need immediate treatment. Rubber dams and high-volume saliva ejectors can help minimize aerosol or spatter in dental procedures. The treatment planning of tooth fracture, luxation, or avulsion is dependent on the patient’s age, the traumatic severity of dental tissue, the development of the apex, and the duration of tooth avulsion.
- In the regions that are heavily affected with COVID-19, patients waiting in dental clinic should also be provided with medical masks. If aerosol-producing procedures are unavoidable, dental practitioners need to wear gowns, facial shield or goggles.
The paper also listed recommendations for dental education:
- During the outbreak period, online lectures, case studies and problem-based learning tutorials should be adopted to avoid unnecessary aggregation of people and associated risk of infection.
- Schools should encourage students to engage in self-learning, make full use of online resources and learn about the latest academic developments.
- During this period, it is easy for students to be affected by disease associated fear and pressure, dental schools should be prepared to provide psychological services to those who need them.
The authors called for further discussion and research on how to improve current infection control strategies and how to respond to similar contagious diseases in the future.
View the complete paper here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022034520914246?journalCode=jdrb
