Do you know how to properly wash your hands? If you didn’t before COVID-19, you likely do now. You might even have your own 20-second song you like to sing to ensure you’re washing for the right amount of time. Whether you’re whistling a tune or not, the truth is that bacteria live on more than just your hands, and your sedation dentist is all-too-aware of this fact. This is why they are taking extreme precautions to ensure proper personal hygiene is practiced among everyone in the dentist’s office. Why? Read on to learn about the importance of this particular prevention method and how it helps to keep you safe.
Personal Hygiene, COVID-19, and Your Health: What’s the Connection?
Exposure to airborne particles, harmful pathogens, and all types of germs and bacteria is a daily occurrence for individuals working in the field of dentistry. Due to the recent events surrounding COVID-19, your dentist in Powell is not only aware of the importance of regular handwashing but also maintaining good personal hygiene.
But what does that have to do with your oral health or COVID-19 for that matter?
Microbes can latch on to just about anything. This includes surfaces (i.e. door handles, clothes, countertops), dental instruments, equipment, your teeth and gums, your hair, and much more. Should any of these transfer to a patient during their visit, it can be potentially dangerous depending on the particular bacteria.
Your dentist and team members take reality very seriously, which is why they are following these steps to better protect you as well as themselves:
- Making sure to maintain optimal oral health by regularly brushing their teeth, flossing, and rinsing to eliminate unnecessary germs and bacteria that can cause problems within the mouth and weaken the immune system.
- Changing into work attire when they arrive and changing out before they leave to go home to avoid carrying any harmful pathogens home with them.
- Keeping hair up and away from the face as well as making sure all nails are cut and filed down to avoid accumulations of dirt that can be easily transferred onto another person.
- Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when treating a patient as well as wearing a face mask at all times.
- Washing hands regularly throughout the day. This includes before and after wearing gloves, after offer care to a patient, and after touching any surface with bare hands.
Are Dentists Following the Same Handwashing Techniques?
Yes, they are, however, you may find it is more regular than what you are doing each day. Because of the necessary work that must occur within a patient’s mouth, dentists and their teams must make sure their hands are thoroughly washed and covered using gloves.
The same steps are followed, though, when it comes to getting their hands clean:
- Washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
- Scrubbing underneath the nails, along the forearms, between the fingers, and rubbing the palms
- Drying with a disposable towel to avoid re-contamination
You can trust that the next time you visit your dentist, they will be clean and ready to offer the card you need and deserve.
About the Practice
Powell Dental Group is comprised of a team of expert dentists and staff who
maintain only the highest standards when it comes to cleanliness and safety.
Going far beyond the necessary handwashing recommendations put forth by various
health organizations, they are taking great care to make sure bacteria and
germs are minimized in other ways (i.e. sanitizing, disinfecting, changing
clothes, and wearing personal protective equipment). Before your next
appointment, contact us at (614)
436-4433 or visit our website
to learn what protocols are helping to keep you and others safe from exposure.