Don’t Let COVID-19 Delay Your Dental Visit
by Annette Pinder
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, including dental appointments and other important medical care. With dental offices now open for all procedures with enhanced screening and safety measures in place, dentists are concerned about patients who are putting off their appointments and delaying important preventive care.
Dr. Rafael Khavis, who practices general dentistry at Facial Pain and Apnea Appliance Therapy Group located in Amherst and Rochester, says, “The ongoing pandemic caused us to put routine appointments on hold, but now with most medical offices open for more than just emergency care, visiting your dentist should be a priority. In addition to routine preventive treatments such as teeth cleanings, careful exams of the teeth, gums, and tongue can provide dentists an early look at any signs of arthritis, diabetes, diet deficiencies, liver disease, and even some auto-immune diseases.”
“Our oral health provides a window into what’s happening in other parts of our bodies,” says Dr. Khavis. He also emphasizes the importance of dental exams for children, noting that 53 percent of children experience tooth decay by the time they reach third grade. He says, “Exams are also important for women who are pregnant, and for anyone with a medical condition that places them at a higher risk for developing dental problems.”
A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 52 percent of adults surveyed are continuing to skip or delay dental or medical care during the pandemic. The American Dental Association says patient visits are nearly 60 percent off from where they were prior to COVID. People say they fear contracting the virus. However, dentists are taking rigorous precautions to adhere to recommended guidelines, such as calling patients and screening them prior to appointments, taking patients’ temperatures, thoroughly disinfecting treatment rooms between patients, insisting upon mandatory mask-wearing for patients entering the office, removing toys and magazines from waiting rooms, and having staff wear personal protective equipment.
Dr. Khavis says it is important to understand that dentists are health professionals who are accustomed to managing infection and controlling risk daily, even in normal times, and are required by law to follow specific safety protocols to prevent the spread of viruses and make their patients’ safety and protection a top priority.
Facial Pain and Apnea Appliance Therapy Group offers general and specialized dental services including pediatric and adult care and preventive dentistry, digital x-rays, fillings, crowns, bridges, implants, root canals, dentures and partials, extractions, biopsies and oral cancer screening, bleaching, and emergency care. Specialized services by Dr. Jeffrey Goldberg include treatment for problems related to facial pain and oral appliance therapy for individuals with sleep apnea. Learn more at www.facialpainandapnea.com. To make an appointment in Buffalo call 716-636-2222. To reach the Rochester office call 585-730-6153. You can also contact the office via email at buffalofacialpain@gmail.com.
