As during the coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19) all patients presenting for dental care are potentially at risk, the French Dental Association has sent its recommendations to dentists in order to limit interventions as much as possible.
“The management of dental emergencies must be limited in this period of health crisis to the strict management of acute infections, severe pain, severe bleeding and trauma to the orofacial sphere” she insists.
Toothache: is it an emergency or not?
Your gums are swollen
It’s a reason for support only if :
- The swelling extends below the eye or into the neck
- You force yourself to swallow your saliva
Your gums are bleeding
It’s a reason for support only if :
- You bleed following an operation or a shock
- A tooth has been knocked out
You have suffered a shock (fall or blow)
This can be a reason for consultation if you have a broken tooth, but it is not a priority.
you have a toothache
This may be grounds for management if you are in pain all the time with a pain threshold above 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.
No need to call the dentist if…
All other dental conditions are therefore not emergencies. As the French Dental Association points out:
- The resealing of crowns, bridges, definitive or provisional and whatever the clinical situation is not an emergency.
- A painless fractured tooth or a removable appliance fracture are not emergencies.
- A cavity with no pain or with moderate pain is not an emergency.
- Gingivitis is not an emergency.
But the first step, to avoid having to call for dental emergencies, is also to take care of your teeth by applying new hygiene rules. “Many are content to brush their teeth twice a day, thinking that they will eventually make an appointment with the dentist once the confinement is lifted. However, there are simple things to do at home to prevent cavities, infections, gum disease and dental problems in general” insists Dr. Martine Zisserman, oral surgeon. Zoom on dental hygiene gestures in the slideshow above.
And more questions to Dr. Zisserman in this facebook live.
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