Coronavirus Update - Wash Common Dental Practice

Covid-19 Practice Update, 22 April 2020

In light of the government’s recent extension to the lockdown, I would like to take this opportunity to explain the implications it will have for Wash Common Dental Practice and its patients.

In line with the General Dental Council (GDC) advice and NHS England, all routine, non-urgent dental care will continue to be deferred until advised otherwise.
For urgent care, Wash Common Dental Practice has an emergency telephone triage service during usual working hours, whenever possible treating with advice, analgesia or antimicrobial means where appropiate.

As yet the government has not set up a dental emergency centre and to this end Dr Alfie Chan has written a protocol on how you can manage a dental emergency during the lockdown period. Please see further down the page.

Once dental care recommences, the health and safety of both the patients an staff will be of the utmost importance to the practice. Fortunately, all of Wash Common’s staff will be well prepared for the challenges ahead, as the whole team went through extensive training regarding cross infection control prior to the pandemic.

Here is the team in action fully gowned up.

The Wash Common Dental Practice will also be extending its opening times to ensure all our valued patients are seen as soon as it is practical to do so. Rest assured there will be ample space in the appointment books to fit everyone in.

Please email reception if you would like to register for a future appointment. Your details will be stored in readiness when the practice is reopened. reception@washdental.co.uk

For now, please make sure that you are all staying safe as possible in these trying times. I cannot stress enough how imperative it is that no one leaves the house unless absolutely necessary, and that we all continue to wash our hands regularly and maintain a safe distance from those not in our own households.

Please see Dr Chan’s letter below:

A straightforward guide on how to manage mouth and dental issues at home during UK lockdown from COVID-19.

The Wash Common Dental and Implant Centre and all the staff are here, working from home, to get the practice ready and primed to leap into action for all of you when the time is correct to do so.

In the meantime, this straightforward and simplified guide by Dr Alfie Chan is offered for the registered patients of the practice. It will help you to efficiently triage yourselves quickly and safely to the correct management of any mouth or dental issues during this current UK lockdown.

A) Pain/sensitivity on eating and drinking only.

You may have dental decay or a failed filling/crown or broken tooth.

Avoid eating and drinking with this area.
Avoid extremes of hot and cold.
Avoid sweets, chocolate and (hidden) sugars in diet e.g. biscuits etc.
Keep to a very soft diet only.
Very gentle brushing and meticulous non-traumatic flossing or use interdental brushes 2-3 times a day- in order to keep your mouth very clean.
If you feel you have a hole or a gap/space then try and purchase some emergency tooth filling material from pharmacy/supermarkets or online and pack the area. Again, do not use this area to eat, chew or drink. These emergency filling materials do tend to fall out so ensure you have purchased enough material to use for the short-term to manage your situation.

B) Bleeding gums or very sore area(s) of gums in mouth.

You may have gum disease or ulcers or trauma to your gum.

Keep to a very soft and plain diet.
Very gentle brushing and meticulous non-traumatic flossing or use interdental brushes 2-3 times a day- in order to keep your mouth very clean.
Use warm salty mouthwashes 2-3 times a day or an antiseptic mouthwash, if you know you have no known allergies or sensitivity reactions to these products.
If you wear dentures and they are causing you the problem then please leave the dentures out of your mouth as much as you can.

C) Mouth/tooth pain and becoming more frequent BUT NO SWELLING.

Same as A) and B).
You need to start taking Paracetamol 400mg every 4-6 hours provided you have no medical issues that state that you cannot take Paracetamol.
Alternatively, if you do not have any COVID-19 symptoms, you can take your usual painkillers of choice instead of Paracetamol.

These protocols (A, B and C) should help with your issue and improve pain control. If symptoms persist after 3 days then CALL the practice for further emergency advice.

D) Mouth/dental pain is continuous and disturbing your sleep but No swelling and No temperature.

Follow A, B and C and also CALL the practice for further emergency advice from our dental team.

E) Continuous pain with any swelling around the neck, jaw, face or eyes +/- high temperature or any severe dental trauma.

Call the practice for emergency advice from our dental team immediately.
If this occurs between the hours of 4 pm and 9 am you MUST call NHS 111 and request for ‘URGENT DENTAL CARE’ centre assistance.

From everyone at Wash Common Dental and Implant Centre, keep safe and keep well.