5 Ways to Help Stop The Spread Of Covid-19 In Your Dental Office

After being shut down for months due to Covid-19, it is an exciting time to be reopening, reconnecting with patients, and providing them with the dental care they need. Unfortunately, business is far from usual, and COVID-19 cases are rising once again as businesses reopen, schools go back into session, and frankly, many of us are just trying to resume everyday life. While dental practices have followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols for decades, there are always new and more innovative ways to keep cross-contamination away.

Vista Apex wants to keep dentistry out of the picture as a vector for COVID-19, and below shares five ways you can help protect your team and patients.

1. Block Aerosol Sprays

   The biggest challenge we have in our dental practices in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 by aerosols created when we spray water in our patients’ mouth, use a mechanic scaler or our handpieces. Because many of us also wear loupes and associated lights, it is hard to wear face shields, and they can be uncomfortable. Another easy way to block these sprays is through the use of guards. Patients are familiar with these and their effectiveness from salad bar sneeze shields, and the barriers they now see in their grocery stores. Dentistry is applying that same concept; plexiglass shields are now available that are efficient and easy to use, giving you and patients the safety you need. If you don’t have them in your offices already, check out ViraShield™!

2. Continuously Disinfect

   While this might be self-explanatory, some additional ways to disinfect aside from
   the traditional wiping down. Enter Hypochlorous Acid. This natural antibacterial agent can
   be used in foggers or vapor humidifiers to kill suspended virus particles in the air or be used
   to wipe down common areas in addition to your standard cleaners. Patients appreciate seeing door handles and other surfaces wiped down during their visit.

3. Pretreatment Rinse

   In trying to limit the effects of the inevitable production of
   aerosols in the dental practice, the ADA has recommended the
   use of pre- and post-oral mouth rinsing for one-two minutes.
   According to surveyed dentist customers, 55% are having
   their patients use diluted hydrogen peroxide, while another
   21% are using a flavored form of the peroxide rinse. While
   much more appealing, some of these flavored rinses on the
   market can foam excessively and leave an unpleasant after
   taste. Vista/Apex found a solution to these problems in the
   soon-to-be-released PeroxiBright™ Oral Rinse.
   
   
   

4. Improve the Seal of Your Mask

   To further prevent the inhalation of virus particles, 3-D printing has created a solution. With easy
   to use apps that perform 3-D face scans, mask fitters can be contoured to your exact face
   shape, improving the seal of your mask. Check out the Bellus3D Face app or Bellus3D dental pro
   on the apple app store!

5. Procedural Kits

   Increase the usage of kits instead of buying individual
   components, when possible. By doing this, you eliminate
   the amount of handling of each product when
   sealed together. Look for kits like CanalClean™ for
   endodontic irrigation. Not only are you saving time with the
   elimination of the need for EDTA, CHX, and rinsing agents,
   but the cost is no more than that of individual components.