Since the pandemic started, we went through many phases of worry, from wiping down groceries when we come back from the market to simply washing hands and covering our faces when surrounded by many people. No matter what you do at home, your dentist in their office is doing much more to keep everyone safe and healthy. While dentists’ offices always used to be clean places, during COVID-19, they upped the cleaning schedules and boosted prevention even more. Here are just some of the steps dentists ensure max cleanliness and protection in their dental practice:
Instrument cleaning and maintenance
What people are concerned with the most are naturally the instruments that go inside the mouth. No matter the pandemic or not, dentists always ensure that items that come in contact with the patients, and especially their mouths, are sterile. Dentist teams never miss keeping these instruments clean and ready for the next patient. Everyone follows strict sterilization protocols that go like this:
- Soaking instruments to prevent blood, tissue or dental material from hardening on them
- Cleaning instruments to remove visible signs of use
- Drying instruments and placing them in special packaging
- Placing packages in a machine that provides sterilization using one of the many processes that kill bacteria and viruses
Sterilization of instruments
The last step of the sterilization protocol is sterilization itself, so what is it? Some items like needles and suction tubes are replaced after every patient, but reusable equipment like drills, lamps and scalpels are sterilized between patients using specific procedures. Dental instruments need more than soap and water to be cleaned! To provide maximum cleanliness and safety, devices use heat, hot steam, UV light or chemical vapor to kill all bacteria and viruses and ensure safe use.
Surface cleaning and maintenance
All surfaces that come in contact with people often (countertops, reception area, door handles, etc.) are regularly wiped down. Technicians usually use regular cleaner liquid and water to remove visible signs of touch as well as fingerprints and dirt. To kill microorganisms, a medical-grade disinfectant is deployed. Sometimes, professional cleaning is necessary too, especially after a confirmed COVID-19 case has stepped into a dental office. Luckily, there are professionals like Cleaneroo guys and girls who offer specific medical center cleaning services and will have the place sanitized and cleaned for daily operations. A weekly visit from these pros is the best way to ensure maximum cleanliness.
Some surfaces need extra attention to stay clean. For instance, due to their location, use and shape, items like keyboards, dental chairs and scanners might be covered with a plastic barrier that gets replaced after every patient. This practice protects vulnerable areas and ensures everything is perfectly clean.
Personal protection
Your dentist probably always used to wear personal protection equipment (PPE) like masks, gloves and protective glasses, but during the COVID-19 outbreak, this has been brought to the next level. PPE is designed to protect both the wearer and the people sitting in the chair and prevent the exchange of potentially infectious particles. According to protocols, gloves, masks and coats are thrown away right after every patient, while reusable items like glasses and face shields are washed between patients. Your dentist’s scrubs are not a part of their PPE, but they are washed after every workday.
People might be avoiding the dentist while the pandemic lasts, but that’s not a good approach. It’s actually more than important to book regular visits because they can prevent small problems from becoming real health issues. If you worry about safety, talk about your dentist and check all the security measures they have in place—this will remove every doubt and ensure you have a stress-free visit.
