COVID-19: Pediatric Oral Health During and After the Pandemics

Abstract

During the period of health emergency linked to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the management of children's oral health presents specific problems related to the infectious spread of the disease. These problems must be faced on the one hand by acting on the oral health prevention methods, and on the other by implementing specific protocols relating both to the conditions of oral pathologies that normally do not represent an emergency, and to those clinical situations that fall into the category of pediatric dental emergencies. In this perspective, in addition to defining rigorous and highly effective infection control protocols in the dental settings, it is of fundamental importance to work on remote communication and education aimed at maintaining the oral health of the children. This article, after an analysis of the risk factors from COVID-19 associated with pediatric dental treatment, presents a series of considerations on potential oral prevention strategies and on the management of emergency and non-emergency dental procedures in a context of disease transmission control, proposing new approaches and models of treatment based also on remote interaction techniques which will then retain their usefulness even at the end of the current emergency period.

Online consultation and emergency management in paediatric dentistry during the COVID‐19 epidemic in Wuhan: A retrospective study

“…During the pandemic of COVID-19, children's dental diseases cannot be diagnosed and treated in time as usual, because of not only the lockdown but also the fear of the high risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2, which transmitted through droplets and aerosols when using some dental instruments such as high-speed turbines. 7,17,18 Fever, the initial symptom of COVID-19 infection, was also reported, stimulating the nerves of parents. Most cases of fever in this study were related to herpes gingivostomatitis and acute periapical periodontitis.…”

“…Chewing hard consistency foods, such as fruits and beef, can facilitate the normal replacement of teeth through mechanical stimulation. 7 Palliative measures are strongly recommended during COVID-19 to cope with the problems of orthodontic consultations (overjet, overbite, crowded dentition and so on), asymptomatic caries, space maintainers, fillings and preformed crowns. The treatment of non-emergencies could be postponed until the release of lockdown.…”

“…It is precisely during the COVID-19 pandemic period that a specific classification of dental emergencies and dental non-emergencies becomes of crucial importance. 7,13 Some potentially life-threatening real dental emergencies such as uncontrolled bleeding, diffuse soft-tissue bacterial infection and maxillofacial fractures occur by accident. 14,15 However, the most common reason for dental-related emergency department visits was not a matter of life-and-death such as dental caries and trauma.…”

“…9,16 Dental non-emergencies that do not require immediate intervention can take palliative measures to reduce the occupation of emergency visit and minimize infection risk of COVID-19. 7,14 Attention has been aroused by various dental organizations due to the complexity of paediatric emergency during COVID-19 lockdown. 14,17 However, there has been no relative studies available related to this issue yet.…”

COVID-19 Transmission Risk and Protective Protocols in Dentistry: A Systematic Review

“…CHX is weak in terms of virucidal, and the other three (PI, H2O2, HOCl) all have excellent virucidal properties but are weak in substantivity, because saliva ow can potentially replace the virus. Clinically, the most acceptable in terms of virucidal and taste is 1.5% hydrogen peroxide (36,(41)(42)(43)(44)(45).…”