Anxiety about Corona Infection "High risk of pneumonia when refraining from dental examination" Dentist May 12, 13:10
The dentist's association in Shizuoka Prefecture said that if the care of the mouth is neglected, the risk of false aspiration pneumonia increases, assuming that there are many cases where elderly people refrain from visiting a dentist due to anxiety of being infected with the new coronavirus. Is calling attention.
Mr. Hiroharu Watanabe, a dentist in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka City, is bringing in a special device to the facility for the elderly and working on home visits such as dental hygiene management and denture adjustment.
Normally, I am in charge of 20 facilities, but since I was warned that elderly people are more likely to get seriously infected with the new coronavirus, half of the facilities have been asked to cancel their visits. ..
This means that some elderly people may not be able to chew on food without regular medical examinations, which may lead to malnutrition and choking due to swallowing.
Mr. Watanabe said, "It is often said that he refuses all visits. However, oral health is a life-threatening problem, and I tell him to contact him if there is something."
The Shizuoka Dental Association also calls for consultation with the dentist as to whether or not a medical examination is necessary because the risk of false pneumonia increases if neglected oral care.
Chairman of the Prefectural Dental Association, Tadahiro Yanagawa, says, "My dentist has the best understanding, so I would like you to consult with me about continuation or postponement of treatment without making my own judgment."