Minimal Aerosol Generating Procedures in Dentistry: Difference between revisions
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[Aerosol|Aerosols]] can harbour micro-organisms (including bacteria, fungus and viruses). Producing [[Dental aerosol|dental aerosols]] in the dental office/ surgery can greatly increase the chance of spreading the disease. Using personal protective equipment and adopting universal cross infection procedures is usually enough to minimise the risk to staff and patients of spreading disease in either direction. However, sometimes additional measures need to be taken to reduce that risk in some diseases, for example, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been found to be stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces<ref>{{Cite journal|last=van Doremalen|first=Neeltje|date=March 17, 2020|title=Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1|url=https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973|journal=The New England Journal of Medicine|volume=|pages=|doi=10.1056/NEJMc2004973|via=}}</ref>. In March 2020, advice from governments, dental associations and governing bodies <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2020-archive/march/ada-recommending-dentists-postpone-elective-procedures|title=ADA recommending dentists postpone elective procedures|last=|first=|date=March 16, 2020|website=American Dental Association|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dentalhealthalberta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Guidelines-on-Emergency-Treatment.pdf|title=Guidelines on Emergency Treatment|last=|first=|date=March 19, 2020|website=Alberta Dental Association and College|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.knmt.nl/nieuws/update-20-maart-coronavirus|title=Coronavirus|last=|first=|date=|website=The Royal Dutch Dental Association (KNMT)|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gdc-uk.org/information-standards-guidance/covid-19-latest-guidance|title=COVID-19 latest guidance|last=|first=|date=|website=General Dental Coucil|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=19 March 2020}}</ref>and dental governing bodies was to stop all non-essential dental care and avoid aerosol generating procedures even when dental care had to be delivered. |
|||
= Reasons to avoid Aerosol Generating Procedures in Dentistry = |
|||
[[Aerosol|Aerosols]] can harbour micro-organisms (including bacteria, fungus and viruses). Producing [[Dental aerosol|dental aerosols]] in the dental office/ surgery can greatly increase the chance of spreading the disease. Using personal protective equipment and adopting universal cross infection procedures is usually enough to minimise the risk to staff and patients of spreading disease in either direction. |
|||
<br /> |
|||
For example, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been found to be stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces<ref>{{Cite journal|last=van Doremalen|first=Neeltje|date=March 17, 2020|title=Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1|url=https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973|journal=The New England Journal of Medicine|volume=|pages=|doi=10.1056/NEJMc2004973|via=}}</ref> |
|||
== Procedures that avoid aerosol generation == |
== Procedures that avoid aerosol generation == |
||
Aerosol generation can be reduced and avoided altogether whilst still providing dental care by using some minimal intervention procedures or by choosing dental materials whose use does not involve generating aerosols. |
|||
Minimal aerosol generating procedures include Atraumatic Restorative Treatment, Selective and Stepwise Caries Removal and the [[Hall Technique]]. |
Minimal aerosol generating procedures include Atraumatic Restorative Treatment, Selective and Stepwise Caries Removal and the [[Hall Technique]]. |
||
Revision as of 10:07, 22 March 2020
Aerosols can harbour micro-organisms (including bacteria, fungus and viruses). Producing dental aerosols in the dental office/ surgery can greatly increase the chance of spreading the disease. Using personal protective equipment and adopting universal cross infection procedures is usually enough to minimise the risk to staff and patients of spreading disease in either direction. However, sometimes additional measures need to be taken to reduce that risk in some diseases, for example, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been found to be stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces[1]. In March 2020, advice from governments, dental associations and governing bodies [2][3][4] [5]and dental governing bodies was to stop all non-essential dental care and avoid aerosol generating procedures even when dental care had to be delivered.
Procedures that avoid aerosol generation
Aerosol generation can be reduced and avoided altogether whilst still providing dental care by using some minimal intervention procedures or by choosing dental materials whose use does not involve generating aerosols.
Minimal aerosol generating procedures include Atraumatic Restorative Treatment, Selective and Stepwise Caries Removal and the Hall Technique.
- ^ van Doremalen, Neeltje (March 17, 2020). "Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1". The New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2004973.
- ^ "ADA recommending dentists postpone elective procedures". American Dental Association. March 16, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Guidelines on Emergency Treatment" (PDF). Alberta Dental Association and College. March 19, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Coronavirus". The Royal Dutch Dental Association (KNMT).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "COVID-19 latest guidance". General Dental Coucil. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)