How to Handle a Dental Emergency During a Pandemic

Are you experiencing a dental emergency during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Though so much of our daily lives have been turned upside down, at least one thing remains constant for dentists and their patients: dental emergencies.

But how do you handle a dental emergency safely during these times, while respecting social distancing guidelines? Today, we’ll share a few tips.

What are the symptoms of your emergency?

The first thing to do is to determine whether you have an urgent dental emergency that needs a dentist’s immediate attention. If you’re experiencing any of the following, call us right away:

Chipped, broken or knocked out tooth
Toothache that you cannot remedy yourself with over-the-counter pain medication
Severe swelling on your face, neck or mouth
Ulcers in your mouth

Lost crowns or fillings
Sore or bleeding gums
Sensitive teeth
Teething

What are the new rules & regulations under COVID-19?

If you visit our office during a dental emergency, you’ll likely notice it looks somewhat different than it does under normal circumstances, and that protocols and extra precautions are in place to keep our staff and patients safe.

If you have a dental emergency, you can rest assured that we are equipped to manage it safely. Learn more about our COVID-19 protocols here.

What should you do during Covid-19 when you have a dental emergency?

By now, we’re all familiar with social distancing and pandemic safety rules, but how does that translate to the dentist’s office? Here are a few actions you can take:

Contact your dentist ahead of time. If you are experiencing symptoms that indicate a dental emergency you should contact our dental team as soon as possible. Feel free to bookmark this post or search for dentists in the Lethbridge area and our office will likely show up.

Apply ice to the affected area. Hold an ice pack on the part of your face where you feel pain.

If you've lost a tooth, find it. If you’ve lost a tooth, try to locate it and rinse it with water. Hold the tooth in the socket it fell out of, or place it in a container of milk. Your dentist may be able to attach it.

Answer the screening questions honestly. When you contact our office, your dentist or their staff will ask you pre-screening questions to learn whether you have any COVID-19 symptoms. If you do, we can refer you to another office or make alternate arrangements.

Utilize hand sanitizer and properly wear a mask. Wearing a face mask and using 70 to 90 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entering or leaving the building are two precautions to take.

Respect social distancing guidelines. We will get you an appointment as soon as possible. If you do need to wait in the waiting room, you’ll find chairs spaced 2 metres apart. There will be no magazines or other non-essential items as we try to reduce the number of touchable surfaces.

Your dentist will wear the appropriate protective gear. In addition to surgical face masks, your dentist and their staff will wear personal protective equipment during in-person appointments.

Do not bring anyone with you to your appointment. Plan to attend your appointment alone (exceptions are made for children or people who require assistance).

Use a cash-free payment method. Use a credit or debit card to pay for the services you receive.