Omicron and the dentist?

[skimomma]

My whole fully-boosted family has regular dentist appointments scheduled for next week.  We have a shortage of dentists in the area.  This means that if I cancel, we are going to be scheduled out 6+ more months.  We ran into this during the initial months of Covid and we ended up going 16 months with no check up.  I have some dental issues that really need a look during routine cleanings, so I don't want to cancel unless I really really should.  Thoughts?  When we last went, the dentist and hygienists were all masked but not fitted well.  But that was also during the brief early-summer lull when mask mandates were being dropped.  We live in an area with very low vaccination rates, low test access, and almost no masks in sight so I suspect Omicron could be running rampant and we would not even know.  And obviously, we will not be able to mask during the exam/cleaning.

[Arcadia]

How “bad” is your teeth? I had a chip on my molar so I went at the peak of the initial delta wave. My dentists are all Korean and they are even more wary then my family so we felt safe going. They have on masks and face shields. My husband bought a waterpik before covid started and used it daily to minimize dental visits. 

[ealp2009]

In general the dentist is going have a greater risk from you than you are from the dentist.  I would go because the health of your mouth and teeth great affects the rest of your body.  Does the office have an air filtration system?  I’ve also seen people use those personal air filters.  I have not investigated how helpful they are though. 

[Kassia]

We have a similar dilemma.  Dd 19 is an OOS college student and this is her only chance to see our dentist until next August.  She's double vaxxed but not boosted and we live in an area that seems to think Covid is a joke even though our ICU is 100% covid patients right now and hospital beds are 1/3 covid patients with no available beds.  I don't know what to do.

[lmrich]

I would not put it off. I just went to the orthodontist and additional measures are being taken - masks and shields, more air purifiers, fewer patients in the waiting room, etc.. 

I don't know if you can call ahead and ask what precautions they are using. 

[itsheresomewhere]

When teeth go bad, they go bad quick.  I would keep the appointment.  That cleaning might find a problem before it becomes a huge one. 

[MEmama]

I have a routine mammogram scheduled for next month that I’m going to delay. 

Personally I wouldn’t feel comfortable going to the dentist right now, but sometimes we just have to do routine stuff anyway.  DS has a doctor appointment tomorrow for a toe that’s been infected since summer (yeah…sigh)—he really does need it looked at while he’s home. I can’t say I’m not nervous about it though. 
 

Good luck. It’s exhausting making this type of decision all the time now.

[thewellerman]

Maybe just keep your appt, unless someone else has a pressing concern.  

[scholastica]

49 minutes ago, skimomma said:

My whole fully-boosted family has regular dentist appointments scheduled for next week.  We have a shortage of dentists in the area.  This means that if I cancel, we are going to be scheduled out 6+ more months.  We ran into this during the initial months of Covid and we ended up going 16 months with no check up.  I have some dental issues that really need a look during routine cleanings, so I don't want to cancel unless I really really should.  Thoughts?  When we last went, the dentist and hygienists were all masked but not fitted well.  But that was also during the brief early-summer lull when mask mandates were being dropped.  We live in an area with very low vaccination rates, low test access, and almost no masks in sight so I suspect Omicron could be running rampant and we would not even know.  And obviously, we will not be able to mask during the exam/cleaning.

If you’re all boosted, I would keep it. Even if you did contract it, it would be very likely to be mild for you.

[Ditto]

I went to the dentist a few weeks ago due to an issue.  My estranged husband went today for work.  I have my regular cleaning next week and plan to go.  The entire office is vaccinated, and my feeling is that it is safer there than many places we go (and we are very covid cautious).

I did also have my mammogram last week and felt very safe there as well.  As a breast cancer survivor, it is something I would never put off and would encourage everyone else to continue to get them as scheduled as well.

Just as an FYI:  everyone in my family has had all 3 doses of vaccine.

[Hilltopmom]

Ds is home from college at his grandparents and is going to his dental app this week. I cancelled mine because a kiddo in our house tested positive last week. I was rescheduled for August 😞

[mommyoffive]

2 kids are going to the ortho today.  I wish we wouldn't have had to cancel the original apt a 2 weeks ago.  Sigh.  We are all fully vaxxed but none of my kids are boosted because they are all under 16.  Am I nervous, yep.  We have dentist apts next week.  I suppose we could delay those in hopes of the curve going down in a month or two.  But we can't for ortho visits.  That would delay their treatment.  Honestly at this point I am not thinking of escaping this, so while we are still being careful we have to just keep going with life.

[skimomma]

I think we will just go and hope for the best.  Dd is a college student so rescheduling will be hard and if we are going to get sick, I guess better during break than later.....

To be honest though, I am certain there are people who work in that office that are not vaccinated.  We are only at 50% of adults.  And as I said before, the masks they were wearing the last time we visited were not well-fitted.  The building is from the 1960s and you feel like you are in the 1960s when inside it so I doubt they went to any additional effort to improve ventilation.  

Fingers crossed!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I went to the dentist recently and was satisfied with their masks and face shields.  They also had some kind of a UV light system for disinfecting. 

[Pawz4me]

We've all gotten regular cleanings and any other dental work as needed throughout the pandemic. I'm prone to abscesses--my guess is the immune suppressing medication I'm on has something to do with that--and preventative dental care isn't something I'm willing to put off. When I weigh the risk/benefit the scale definitely tilts to the "benefit" side. I have a dental implant procedure scheduled a few days into the new year. Things would have to get really, really bad for me to consider delaying it.

[catz]

My college student has an appointment January 5.  He will get a booster sometime over break, not sure when yet.  I have been super impressed with our dentist.  They changed their dental bays into separate rooms.  Each room has a medical grade filtration device.  They do a covid questionaire as people come in.  They double mask and face shield.  I know they shut down for a little bit early in the pandemic over a covid scare but have done really well since then.  

Anyway, I *HOPE* most medical and dental offices have their game going for covid now, I would go.  We waited a long time into covid and it had been a year for all of us for a cleaning when we first started going back and ugh, so much scraping and my daughter had her first cavity ever.  My son needs his wisdom teeth removed but that we are going to need to hold off on until he comes home in the spring covid permitting.  

[EKS]

Our family hasn't been to the dentist since covid began.  

[DreamerGirl]

Unless it is an emergency we did not go when we were unvaxxed. But after vaxxing we went and got it out of the way. DS had an emergency, was only vaxxed one shot if I am not mistaken, so he had to go.

I would go. Ours wore face masks and shields. I think ours are more scared of getting. We wait in the car and they call us in.

We use electric tooth brushes and when we remember water picks because flossing is not really a thing here regularly. But mouthwash is so we hope. Everyone brushes twice regularly now and that was not a thing before too.

[mommyoffive]

While I did have 2 of mine go to the ortho yesterday, where they don't all mask (the county doesn't believe in covid).  I am thinking of delaying the dentist apts all my kids have for Dec 27.  Again this is in a county where they don't believe in Covid.  I am on the fence because 3 of my kids are fully vaxxed as of this month.   But they just went 6 months ago and I could just delay the apts a few months when this surge is over?  Anyone want to weigh in on what they would do? 

[Kassia]

32 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

While I did have 2 of mine go to the ortho yesterday, where they don't all mask (the county doesn't believe in covid).  I am thinking of delaying the dentist apts all my kids have for Dec 27.  Again this is in a county where they don't believe in Covid.  I am on the fence because 3 of my kids are fully vaxxed as of this month.   But they just went 6 months ago and I could just delay the apts a few months when this surge is over?  Anyone want to weigh in on what they would do? 

I would wait if you don't suspect any dental issues.  Dd also has an appt. on the 27th and our county is similar with a very high positivity rate and spread and I don't know what to do about her appt. - she is an OOS college student and I don't know when she'll be home again because she has an internship lined up for right after spring semester.  

[Hilltopmom]

43 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

While I did have 2 of mine go to the ortho yesterday, where they don't all mask (the county doesn't believe in covid).  I am thinking of delaying the dentist apts all my kids have for Dec 27.  Again this is in a county where they don't believe in Covid.  I am on the fence because 3 of my kids are fully vaxxed as of this month.   But they just went 6 months ago and I could just delay the apts a few months when this surge is over?  Anyone want to weigh in on what they would do? 

In people without dental issues, once a year at the dentist is fine. The 2x a year thing is relatively new.

[Ting Tang]

That is something we have been doing throughout the whole pandemic.  Some people are fortunate and don't have dental issues, but a few of us in my family do.  My dentist office required the entire staff be vaccinated early on, and I am sure they were boosted.  Now, the kids go to a pediatric dentist, and they are pretty good as well. When I took my oldest to his orthodontist consultation, a staffmember behind a tiny piece of plexiglass had her mask pulled down. It really bothered me because I consider that a medical office.  I'd say most mask around here, but there are always a few who don't, and we don't have a high vaccination rate.  Whenever I have put off the dentist, though, it's led to bad things.  You can call ahead and ask about precautions, particularly any extra in light of omicron.  I feel like this might be the strain that nobody can avoid, unfortunately.  😞

Edited December 24, 2021 by KrisTom

[kristin0713]

My kids had dentist appointments this week. I'm glad we got them in before everything potentially shuts down again. I really feel like, we are all going to get this or get exposed and fight it off without getting sick. I don't think there is any way around it unless we all go into hiding, which I am not doing. 

[ReviewDaScience]

• •  

Posted just now

On 12/21/2021 at 12:25 PM, skimomma said:

My whole fully-boosted family has regular dentist appointments scheduled for next week.  We have a shortage of dentists in the area.  This means that if I cancel, we are going to be scheduled out 6+ more months.  We ran into this during the initial months of Covid and we ended up going 16 months with no check up.  I have some dental issues that really need a look during routine cleanings, so I don't want to cancel unless I really really should.  Thoughts?  When we last went, the dentist and hygienists were all masked but not fitted well.  But that was also during the brief early-summer lull when mask mandates were being dropped.  We live in an area with very low vaccination rates, low test access, and almost no masks in sight so I suspect Omicron could be running rampant and we would not even know.  And obviously, we will not be able to mask during the exam/cleaning.

The virus is airborne, and if someone with Omicron variant is in the area and not wearing a good mask, everyone will get it.
So patients going to a dentist office must wear the best tight-fitted (test it to make sure no  leaks) mask possible, wait in the car if possible, so keep away from the air of the front-desk workers and other patients, who often wear what are often called "crappy gappies", ie, blue procedure masks hanging away from their faces on the top and sides, ie, mask theater.

Second, ahead of the appointments, ask if they have air filters in each room, and if not can you bring one (assuming you can get one) and see if it can be set up 5 minutes ahead of appointment.

Third, and most important, if the staff wanders about, near the room you'll be in, unmasked or in gaping masks, leave.

Fourth, when you call ahead make sure to mention that you don't want anyone not in a good N95 to come into the room when you're in there unmasked during your dental work. No one. Remember: if they're wearing crappy masks and seeing patients at this time while Omecron infecting the whole country, they'll get infected, and they'll give it to you. Don't let them tell you it's not airborne: it is. Don't let them tell you it's "mild" : IT ISN"T.

Health care provider and member of global covid action teams.

[Kassia]

On 12/21/2021 at 12:44 PM, Kassia said:

We have a similar dilemma.  Dd 19 is an OOS college student and this is her only chance to see our dentist until next August.  She's double vaxxed but not boosted and we live in an area that seems to think Covid is a joke even though our ICU is 100% covid patients right now and hospital beds are 1/3 covid patients with no available beds.  I don't know what to do.

Well, decision has been made - dentist canceled due to Covid running through the office staff.  I'm relieved but now will have to find a dentist for her near her university.  Probably a good idea anyway but we really do like and trust our dentist.  

[mommyoffive]

28 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Well, decision has been made - dentist canceled due to Covid running through the office staff.  I'm relieved but now will have to find a dentist for her near her university.  Probably a good idea anyway but we really do like and trust our dentist.  

We canceled our apts too.  On one hand I think we are all going to get Covid so why not just go.  On the second had I am still trying to not get it and be careful without locking down because my kids need to be in things. 

[Kassia]

26 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

We canceled our apts too.  On one hand I think we are all going to get Covid so why not just go.  On the second had I am still trying to not get it and be careful without locking down because my kids need to be in things. 

I didn't have to make the decision - the dentist called to tell us that they are shutting the office down for the week since they are all sick with Covid.

 

[YaelAldrich]

Similar here!  The wife of the dentist is my friend and called apologetically early this morning.  Her husband tested positive today (after several of their children were sick with COVID in the previous two weeks).  My husband was to go in this morning for a cleaning.  I had such a bad feeling about this appointment.

[Ditto]

I had my regular 6th month cleaning this morning and am so glad to get it done.  

[Cordelia]

Someone in my extended family picked up covid at the dentist, for what it's worth. 

[KSera]

2 hours ago, Cordelia said:

Someone in my extended family picked up covid at the dentist, for what it's worth. 

I've seen it happen to a couple people, including a twitter report from someone yesterday that just had it happen. WIth omicron as it is right now, I can't see how it's not going to have a high likelihood, unfortunately. I would only go right during this surge in either an emergency or if the dentist had separate rooms and/or only had one patient in the office at a time and wore an N95 and had excellent filtration/ventilation going. My denist does not have separate rooms for patients and only wears procedure masks, though he has some kind of little air purifier on the counter in each cubical. Hopefully in another 6 weeks or so, things won't be nearly as risky.