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hat safety measures will the office take if I have to come in for treatment?
As healthcare providers, dentists and their teams are trained on the CDC guidelines for infection control and using the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as mask and gloves. “Universal precautions” is a term you hear a lot in medicine. It simply means that we treat everyone as if they are infectious. When we treat everyone in the same manner it protects everyone. You may notice that we have also added to our normal protective equipment at this time and have included the use of personal shields and air filtration in each treatment room that protect both the patient and our team from aerosol exchange. We partnered with a wonderful metal fabricator in Seattle to design this additional piece of protection. We have always utilized many methods to protect patients and our team in our office; if you haven’t been to us in a while you will notice we have left no stone un-turned as we work to keep you safe and provide the wonderful dental care that you deserve and expect.
If you would like to discuss our precautions with us, feel free to call us at 828-398-4910 and our staff will be happy to assist in answering your questions.
If I’m missing my checkup should I do anything differently?
Make sure you are brushing and flossing. Do everything you would normally do as it is extremely important to continue to do the best job possible to maintain your oral health. Since many of us will have extra time on our hands make sure you brush at least twice a day for 2 minutes.
If you feel like you want to take extra steps to protect your hygiene during this time here are a few ideas:
- Use a powered toothbrush
- Use an irrigation device such as a Waterpik
- Use your favorite alcohol free mouth wash such as Listerine Zero with Fluoride or Act Restore
- Floss – if you don’t currently floss it’s a great opportunity to start. You have the extra time and once you’re in the habit you’ll like the extra clean feeling while also strengthening your gums!
