Dental Cleanings: Safe or Not?

[JumpyTheFrog]

My dentist's office called to schedule us for our cleanings. DH and I are trying to decide if it is safe to do. Here are relevant facts:

• They have patients wait in the car instead of the waiting room.
• Our county currently has about 1050 cases and a current doubling time of about 25 days. The metro area has about 2500-3000 cases.
• Restrictions have begun being lifted. Phase 2 may start in 2-3 weeks, at which time places like gyms can reopen.

 

In other words, it seems like the number of cases is likely to rise or explode in the next few weeks. I have my doubts about it being lower in a few months than now. I asked if they alternate which rooms they used to allow drops from the previous patient to fall out of the air, and the answer seemed to be just about wiping equipment down thoroughly. DH and I were thinking that if we do schedule cleanings, we'd want the first appointments of the day.

Should we try to schedule them for the next week or two?

[almondbutterandjelly]

5 minutes ago, JumpyTheFrog said:

In other words, it seems like the number of cases is likely to rise or explode in the next few weeks. I have my doubts about it being lower in a few months than now.

I agree with that (are you in Texas?).  Get in now.  My dh has a dentist appointment today.

[PeterPan]

There is no such thing as "safe" with this. What mask is the hygienist wearing? If you consider yourself low risk and need a cleaning and the hygienist is wearing an N95, that's about as safe as I could possibly imagine. That assumes a fast hygienist, which some are, some aren't. I've had idiot hygienists who remove their surgical (not N95) masks to talk with you. Obviously people like that are not safe bets right now.

You're talking controlled risk, not no risk. Mercifully, I got my cleaning in before the shutdown occurred. However ds didn't and is quite overdue. He may very well have $$ cavities, given that he probably doesn't brush very well, so I'm not happy about waiting. He has an appointment scheduled and I will keep it and hope for the best. If the hygienist is wearing N95, I'll feel pretty good about it. If they're wearing a surgical mask, I'll be wishing I knew their oxygen levels. Undoubtedly they're taking temps, etc. to screen people. But no, no one can say it's "safe." It's controlled, accepted risk. The more high risk you are, the more you're better to wait, seems to me.

[Ali in OR]

In your case, I agree that later will probably be riskier. I think I would go ahead. We're also all due--were due in March. Dh thought we don't need to go in May or June, hoping that later in summer might be better. And so far our state seems pretty sane, so maybe.

[PeterPan]

18 minutes ago, JumpyTheFrog said:

if we do schedule cleanings, we'd want the first appointments of the day.

I don't think this matters. The amount of exposure is the biggest factor, not the random, passing exposures. The hygienist is your biggest issue, as they're breathing right in your face for 30 minutes. So their health status and their mask quality is what will decide safety.

[Heatherwith4]

 I went last week.  They came outside and took my temperature and they walked me in and out so I didn’t have to touch anything.  The hygienist had on a paper gown and a face shield in addition to what they already wear.  
 

 We don’t have a ton of cases here, so it really didn’t bother me to go ahead and go.  It was nice to do something sort of normal.  (That’s probably the only time I’ll be excited to go to the dentist. ) 😂

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, Heatherwith4 said:

 They came outside and took my temperature and they walked me in and out so I didn’t have to touch anything.  The hygienist had on a paper gown and a face shield in addition to what they already wear.  

That seems really good! I wonder what they're doing with kids? My ds is 11 but with his ASD2 he's not given to change. He'd be a real crap shoot on walking into a building with a stranger. I'll have to talk with them and figure it out. I think if I walk with them to the office door, that would be good enough. It's a large building with many offices on different floors. 

[J-rap]

Our clinic has cancelled all appointments for now and indefinitely except for absolutely essential treatments.  Actually, I think I was the one that caused them to turn the corner on their decision.  I walked in expecting to have a cavity filled, just a week after things started blowing up but we still didn't understand a lot at all.  (Our city was not yet on a lock-down.)  They asked me if I had been out of the country in the past month, and I had actually just returned about two weeks earlier from being abroad for two months.   At that moment, they held a quick meeting (while I waited in the lobby) and decided to cancel all non-essential appointments.  (Very understandable!  I'm glad they did.)  They said working in the mouth is one of the most vulnerable places to be exposed to germs.  At least in our area, I definitely would not feel comfortable yet going to the dentist for something as non-essential as a teeth-cleaning.  Unless you have some concerns, I'd personally hold off.  We've held off (for other reasons) for two to three years for a cleaning in the past.

[Heatherwith4]

2 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

That seems really good! I wonder what they're doing with kids? My ds is 11 but with his ASD2 he's not given to change. He'd be a real crap shoot on walking into a building with a stranger. I'll have to talk with them and figure it out. I think if I walk with them to the office door, that would be good enough. It's a large building with many offices on different floors. 

 

I’m not sure.  My kids go to the same dentist as me, but it’s quite a while before they are due.  

[MEmama]

Our dentist is rescheduling appointments well into October. I’m surprised you can get in now!
 

At some point we are all going to have to do some basics like dentists and well visits. I’d guess sooner rather than later makes more sense depending on your comfort level and how important you think it will be to have done this year. The numbers look much worse going forward. 

Edited May 11, 2020 by MEmama

[Pen]

Idk.

Cases will almost certainly go up, but safety protocols may also increase. 

I guess maybe it depends how important the appointment seems to you. 

 

[mlktwins]

We will not be going to the dentist anytime soon unless it is an emergency.  We are dealing with 2 in braces too and I'm not taking them in the near future.  Our cases our going up in VA though.  

Unfortunately, I don't trust anyone to be doing what they need to be doing to keep me and my family safe.  

[athena1277]

Three of us had cleanings in Feb, but oldest dd is in braces.  Her appt in April was rescheduled to later this week.  We are hoping to be done with them before she graduates next year, or before she goes off to college at the very least, so we are not skipping appointments.  Dh or I will take her and have to wait in the car (unfortunately, she doesn’t drive yet).  My 4yo has a dental appointment in August, but I’ll wait until closer to then to decide if we should cancel.

[happi duck]

Just a note: from what I've read, if an n95 has a valve then others are not protected.

[73349]

Our dentists have canceled all routine cleanings here. (The county has over a thousand identified cases in a population of 1.1 million, with very little testing going on.) DS's orthodontist appointment last month was canceled, but they are doing them now with good spacing between patients.

I think anything that involves somebody's mouth definitely having to be open for an extended time is somewhat risky for everybody, so I would not go for a cleaning until fall if it could be helped, assuming the risk of cavities in most people is low in any given year. I might change my mind if procedures included using each exam area only once a day.

[Laura Corin]

Unless you have a specific medical need, I don't think cleanings are vital. I'm just making sure to take very good care of my teeth at home, and am skipping professional cleaning. FWIW I eat/drink very few sweet things, and I clean my teeth with a manual brush, then an interdental brush, as well as flossing.

[JumpyTheFrog]

DH and I were trying to remember if DS2 has any baby teeth with unfilled cavities left. He'd had some teeth with cavities that were getting loose, so the dentist said not to bother filling them because they'd be falling out soon. I'd feel better about delaying a cleaning if those baby teeth had all fallen out. (Both my boys have had numerous cavities on baby teeth, despite proper dental hygiene. Once DS1 lost has baby teeth and had adult teeth the number of cavities dropped greatly.)

If I thought that fall would have fewer cases, I'd feel comfortable waiting until then. But it feels like a slow moving disaster around here and for all I know fall will be far worse.

Maybe I should call the dentist and find out if any of his remaining teeth have cavities or if they are all fine.

[mmasc]

My kids have their normal, scheduled cleaning next week. Of course, we made it 6 months ago. Our dental facilities just opened up for routine procedures last week. They’re wearing all the normal stuff, plus a face shield. They’re also getting patients from the car, no extra people allowed in, temps taken, patients wearing masks until they’re in the chair, all doors opened for you. I’m a bit nervous about it all, but I like to keep these appointments and my oldest has to go in for a re-scheduled orthodontist appt next month that can’t wait any longer at all, so I figure we might as well get back out there I guess. (Just for this...I’m not going anywhere else yet!). My kids first outing in 3 months will be the dentist. 😕 

[AmandaVT]

DS has an appt that was supposed to be last month - our dentists just got clearance to reopen. We're running somewhere between 0-3 cases for the state most days recently and testing and contact tracing are increasing. I was just thinking about what I would do if they call to reschedule him in soon. He has braces as well and has now missed 2 appts due to COVID. I think our doubling time is 12 weeks right now. Hard to decide - I'd probably feel safer with him going now than if a second wave hits in a few months. 

[sassenach]

10 hours ago, PeterPan said:

There is no such thing as "safe" with this. What mask is the hygienist wearing? If you consider yourself low risk and need a cleaning and the hygienist is wearing an N95, that's about as safe as I could possibly imagine. That assumes a fast hygienist, which some are, some aren't. I've had idiot hygienists who remove their surgical (not N95) masks to talk with you. Obviously people like that are not safe bets right now.

You're talking controlled risk, not no risk. Mercifully, I got my cleaning in before the shutdown occurred. However ds didn't and is quite overdue. He may very well have $$ cavities, given that he probably doesn't brush very well, so I'm not happy about waiting. He has an appointment scheduled and I will keep it and hope for the best. If the hygienist is wearing N95, I'll feel pretty good about it. If they're wearing a surgical mask, I'll be wishing I knew their oxygen levels. Undoubtedly they're taking temps, etc. to screen people. But no, no one can say it's "safe." It's controlled, accepted risk. The more high risk you are, the more you're better to wait, seems to me.

Just so you know, many (all?) N95s offer no protection to the person not wearing the mask because they have exit valves. You’d be safer if they are wearing a surgical mask (this is why surgeons wear surgical masks and not N95s). N95s only protect the wearer. 

[PeterPan]

5 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Just so you know, many (all?) N95s offer no protection to the person not wearing the mask because they have exit valves. You’d be safer if they are wearing a surgical mask (this is why surgeons wear surgical masks and not N95s). N95s only protect the wearer. 

Ooo, thank you for explaining that! It makes a lot of sense.

[marbel]

My dentist just sent out a notice that they are resuming non-emergency care and will be rescheduling routine appointments again. The note included a list of all the safety protocols they are putting in place.

I've known my dentist for 13 years in and out of his dentistry practice. Knowing him, I'm confident that getting a cleaning at his office will be quite safe. I won't say perfectly safe because nothing is. When they call me for my overdue cleaning, I will likely make an appointment and go. 

[prairiewindmomma]

My dentist just called again to try to reschedule me.  I am waiting and seeing, but having mixed feelings about it all. They have open bays with cabinetry between everything....if someone is getting drilled on next door, some measure of aersolization is being mixed into the air. 

[catz]

Interesting story posted in local media today about a kid and his ortho appointment.  If more places could get screening like this in place, I’m sure many more would feel safer going to their appointments, etc.  
 

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/05/08/coronavirus-in-minnesota-14-year-old-tests-positive-for-covid-19-after-showing-zero-symptoms/#.XrZVNkFOgT4.facebook

 

[prairiewindmomma]

I would feel good about that—every patient having a negative rapid test in order to be seen and all staff in masks.

My friend and her daughter in Denmark had to be tested in order to see their doctor.

 

[Kassia]

I just went for a cleaning today.  Dentists here were shut down for six weeks.  Before going, I felt perfectly safe but then during the procedure I was in the chair thinking about how I was sitting for an extended period of time unmasked and so were all the patients before me (I had an afternoon appointment).  I don't know how long the virus is in the air and don't know if the hygienist uses disinfectant spray between patients.  So that concerned me a little, but I still think my risk was low.  

 

ETA - when I entered the office, they took my temperature and asked if I've had any symptoms, contact with anyone who has tested positive, and traveled recently.

Edited May 13, 2020 by Kassia

[PeterPan]

3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

My dentist just called again to try to reschedule me.  I am waiting and seeing, but having mixed feelings about it all. They have open bays with cabinetry between everything....if someone is getting drilled on next door, some measure of aersolization is being mixed into the air. 

Yeah, I'm with you on that being iffy. Can you find a new dentist? Ours used to be in an office like that and they relocated. Surely you can find someone with a better setup and individual rooms for each person.

[LucyStoner]

I need to get a new night guard made.  I am considering it a calculated risk.  We rescheduled April cleanings to July.  

[Ausmumof3]

I think dental cleaning probably has some of the same risk factors as meat works , drills air blowing etc meaning germs could be aerosolised and still there depending how long between patients.  As I understand it some research indicated there’s not much advantage to six month clean and checks over twelve months so unless you have already been twelve months or you have concerns I might put it off.  As someone else said though if there’s no spread where you are now might be better than six months time.

[Laura Corin]

7 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I think dental cleaning probably has some of the same risk factors as meat works , drills air blowing etc meaning germs could be aerosolised and still there depending how long between patients.  As I understand it some research indicated there’s not much advantage to six month clean and checks over twelve months so unless you have already been twelve months or you have concerns I might put it off.  As someone else said though if there’s no spread where you are now might be better than six months time.

I found this report on frequency of dental check ups and cleanings, which was inconclusive: - it seems that the effect of more frequent treatment was not very clear.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK54536/

Edited May 13, 2020 by Laura Corin