In this period of confinement, is it still possible to consult your dentist? Due to the coronavirus epidemic, dentists had to close their offices. But patients can still be taken care of in an emergency by childcare services provided by liberal professionals, health centers, and hospital services, recalls Professor Vianney Descroix, head of the dental department at the hospital of La Pitié-Salpêtrière, at the microphone of Europe 1.
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Why did the cabinets have to close?
As soon as the confinement was announced, the council of the Order of dental surgeons recommended closing the dental offices. A "good decision", says Vianney Descroix, who recalls that dentists are particularly exposed to the coronavirus. "It's an extremely risky profession, since we work in the mouth, next to the nose, and our tools make a lot of droplets."
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Currently, professionals providing guards protect themselves with the help of FFP2 masks and personal protective equipment. But, warns the head of service, with the next reopening of the offices, "the government will have to be very careful that these surgeons can be equipped, but also the dental assistants, which are essential for the proper functioning of a cabinet ". "We cannot hope that the offices will reopen if the dental assistants are not equipped," he insists.
How are the guards insured?
If the offices had to close, liberal dental surgeons, health centers, as well as the hospital services, continue to ensure guards, but "do not ensure any more but the oral emergencies", indicates Vianney Descroix.
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Patients facing these emergencies can therefore continue to be treated, after having been regulated by hotlines, some of which are provided by the departmental councils of the Order of Dental Surgeons. "Before moving someone, there is necessarily a notice on the phone, sometimes a remote consultation," said the specialist. "If the consultation concludes that it is necessary to move, the patient is redirected to a dental surgeon."
What are the emergencies for which it is possible to consult?
There are four main types of emergencies in dentistry, recalls Professor Vianney Descroix: "pain, infectious emergencies, trauma, and bleeding."
- The pains . "Some dental pain, such as toothache, will not pass with analgesic drugs and even less with antibiotics. These pains really require the intervention of a surgeon to treat the tooth," insists the guest from Europe 1 .
- Infectious emergencies. For Vianney Descroix, "we can notably mention dental cellulites and abscesses, which can be delayed for 24 hours with antibiotics, but which will also quickly require intervention".
- Trauma. These traumas designate lesions of one or more teeth, caused for example by falls. During this period of confinement, there are many, both among children who have fallen into their homes, and among inexperienced joggers, explains Vianney Descroix.
- Hemorrhages. These oral hemorrhages can in particular be caused by taking anticoagulants, which thin the blood.
If you are affected by one of these cases, do not hesitate to consult, despite the desire to respect confinement or the fear of being contaminated in the hospital. "Containment should not be at the expense of health," says Vianney Descroix, who warns of the worsening of these emergencies if they are not treated. "An untreated toothache will become an infection. The infection is easy to control at first, but it can become extremely serious with infections that can go down on the lungs or go up to the brain," he explains. he. Finally, certain trauma, if treated too late, can lead to sequelae.