Another COVID Outbreak. Should I Cancel My Children’s Dental Appointment?

Posted by ijaz

Another COVID Outbreak. Should I Cancel My Children’s Dental Appointment?

When the first COVID break happened, my dentist shut down and was only seeing people for urgent care. Now, my city is having another outbreak and he’s staying open. I was surprised by that. Would it be safer for my children if I canceled their upcoming appointment?

Sarah

Dear Sarah,

When COVID first hit, it was an unknown entity. We weren’t sure how to combat it. We weren’t sure how fast or even how it spread. We weren’t sure who would be impacted the most. All of that has changed. This time around, we have learned a lot more. We also have some immunizations and boosters.

These vary in effectiveness, as well as in side effects, so if you have not yet received any of the shots I would do some research before deciding on which one. We also know that people who have had COVID, now carry antibodies that will protect them from the virus. It won’t necessarily protect them from a different strain, but it will from the one they’ve had.

In most cases, especially in children, COVID is nothing more than a cold. There are exceptions, of course, but most of these cases have other factors that should have been considered.

Almost all dentists have adapted their practices to account for COVID and take measures and precautions to protect their patients. My recommendation is to call your pediatric dentist and ask him what their office does to help combat the spread of COVID. I bet they will have an answer right away.

If you’re still nervous, you can postpone their appointment. However, I would only do that if their last appointment showed no problems and no cavities on the horizon. If there was something your child’s dentist was keeping an eye on, you will want to get your children examined. The last thing you want is for something to blow up into a dental emergency.

This blog is brought to you by North Haven Dentist Dr. Asma Ijaz.