As the coronavirus pandemic continues, many people find themselves wondering what they can safely commit to during this time. Some people have found themselves wary of medical procedures because they're afraid of the close contact that comes with it. However, if you've been putting off routine dental work like dental cleaning for this reason, you're likely making the wrong decision. Here's why you should consider changing your mind and scheduling that appointment after all.

Dental Office Safety Precautions

For starters, dental offices are one of the safest places you can be to avoid getting sick in the first place.

Dentist offices tend to do a few things on a standard basis that can help to protect you. For example, dentists' offices tend to have superior ventilation because of the scents produced by certain dental materials, treatments, and even things like gas being administered to help reduce anxiety. These things would potentially make other patients feel uncomfortable or could even be risky, which is why excellent ventilation is included in the vast majority of dentists' offices to begin with. This will help to filter out and prevent you from coming into contact with germs.

From there, you likely know that dentists and their hygienists tend to arrive with gloves, face masks, and even face shields as part of standard practice. This is to help protect them and you from germs as well as any kind of splashback that might come from your mouth while it's being cleaned. With these tools in place, the likelihood of you catching even a common cold is extraordinarily low.

Furthermore, most dentists' offices have new steps in place to help prevent contamination. Surfaces are often thoroughly sanitized between patients, and patients are still asked to remain masked up until they actually are ready to have their teeth worked on. 

The other thing to keep in mind here is that the average dental cleaning session can be completed in as little as half an hour. That's not a lot of time to spend being in the presence of other people, and the less time you're around others, the safer you are.

The Alternative

The problem here is that if you avoid your dental cleaning for long enough, you could develop problems like cavities. Perhaps you have a filling that's in danger of falling out that could be discovered and repaired if you have a dental cleaning. Issues like these, while still perfectly treatable, will require spending more time in the dentist's office. By going now for a simple dental cleaning, you can help to prevent these problems and spend less time in a medical office as a result.

There is very little to be concerned about if you need a dental cleaning and are worried about COVID-19. If you have questions, feel free to ask a dentist's office, such as Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.