Being a front-line dentist during the Covid-19 pandemic: a literature review

Abstract

Coronavirus is an enveloped virus with positive-sense single-stranded RNA. Coronavirus infection in humans mainly affects the upper respiratory tract and to a lesser extent the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical symptoms of coronavirus infections can range from relatively mild (similar to the common cold) to severe (bronchitis, pneumonia, and renal involvement). The disease caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was called Covid-19 by the World Health Organization in February 2020. Face-to-face communication and consistent exposure to body fluids such as blood and saliva predispose dental care workers at serious risk for 2019-nCoV infection. As demonstrated by the recent coronavirus outbreak, information is not enough. During dental practice, blood and saliva can be scattered. Accordingly, dental practice can be a potential risk for dental staff, and there is a high risk of cross-infection. This article addresses all information collected to date on the virus, in accordance with the guidelines of international health care institutions, and provides a comprehensive protocol for managing possible exposure to patients or those suspected of having coronavirus.

Exploring the knowledge, awareness and practices of COVID-19 among dentists in Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional Investigation

“…Dentists, who are an essential part of the health professional group, are front liners in this pandemic. Moreover, areas of professional expertise of dentist are oral cavity and teeth put them in the most vulnerable position for being infected by COVID-19 Ataş and Yildirim 2020;Fallahi et al 2020;Khader et al 2020). Therefore, a dentist should have proper knowledge and practice according to standard guidelines to prevent the infection.…”

“…Recent study data suggested that SARS-CoV-2 virus might remain viable and infectious in aerosols and droplets for hours, which poses more signi cant threats for dentists to be infected and subsequently spread to their colleagues, families and other patients (Van Doremalen et al 2020;. Dentists may also get infected from unrecognized and under surveillance COVID-19 individuals; thus, contamination may occur before the symptoms appear (Ataş and Yildirim 2020) and indirect contact with contaminated surfaces and instruments (Fallahi et al 2020).…”

Italian Response to Coronavirus Pandemic in Dental Care Access: The DeCADE Study

“…Even though Italian dental offices have never stopped working, they limited their practice ensuring just urgent and emergency dental care treatments. Droplet production and blood and saliva exposure put dental practitioners at high risk of contagion during their routine procedures [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Aerosol or droplets inhalation from SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals and even the direct contact with mucous membranes, oral fluids and contaminated instruments and surfaces could enhance virus transmission during dental procedures [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Recommendations, Practices and Infrastructural Model for the Dental Radiology Set-up in Clinical and Academic Institutions in the COVID-19 Era

“…The nature and extent of changes depend on the amount of risk for disease transmission involved in a work set-up [ 24 ]. HCWs have always been in the forefront battling the pandemic, and thus also remained at the high risk for acquiring and transmitting disease [ 12 , 25 , 26 ]. Institutions involved in any form of health care delivery (academic, clinical care or both) required to maintain high standard of infection control protocol [ 27 ].…”