You may be following coverage of COVID19 and how Governor Abbott has prepared to “reopen Texas” like we have. Earlier this week, Gov. Abbott allowed that dental offices may resume practice starting midnight, May 1st. This is great news for us and our patients, as we have missed you all!
It is imperative that we reopen properly and cautiously to protect our patients and our team. We appreciate everyone’s support while we make these changes!
Every patient, when confirming their appointment, will be asked a few screening questions to determine if said dental appointment should be rescheduled. If you have experienced fever or been exposed to COVID19+ you will be asked to reschedule to a later date.
We have hand sanitizer throughout the office, including check in/out, and hand soap is stocked for the restrooms.
We will have a germ shield placed at checkout to keep our wonderful ladies up front safe. We will still be able to interact with you and share our friendly smiles, as usual!
We will be cleaning high-traffic areas, and high-exposure areas multiple times throughout the day. This includes door handles, light switches, restrooms, check in/out area, credit card processing unit, etc.
Our team will be wearing all appropriate personal protective equipment. We take infection control seriously, and always have. These are changing times requiring that we change with them. We may look different than our previous “normal”, but we are still your friendly team, happy to see you.
HEPA filter have been placed at the office to filter even the smallest viruses and bacteria.
We have reduced the number of chairs in our waiting room to comply with #socialdistancing when we do have to have caregivers and parents in the waiting room while their loved one is seen for a dental appointment.
We will no longer display magazines/books/toys in the lobby. This was hard for us to do, because our smallest patients LOVE playing with the toys and we have a great selection of magazines that our patients have enjoyed. However, keeping these items only aids in cross-contamination and harbors germs for hours on end, so we must remove these items.
We will be taking temperatures when we come to your vehicle to get you, and temperatures above 100.4 will need to be rescheduled.
We will be taking temperatures on our team members twice daily to ensure the safety of our patients.
Prior to dental treatment, we will have patients rinse with a 1.5% hydrogen peroxide pre-rinse.
As you can see, patient and provider safety is of utmost importance to us. We are sure there will be more measures taken but these highlight the major changes. We look forward to seeing all of our patients that we have missed so much!
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extractions may be required for several different reasons.
Tooth extractions may be required for several different reasons. These include:
When one or more teeth are severely decayed
When one or more teeth are broken and cannot be repaired
When one or more teeth are poorly positioned in the mouth (impacted teeth)
When there is advanced periodontal disease
To prepare for orthodontic treatment
After Extractions Home Care
Bleeding
Bleeding can occur post extraction. To control bleeding, place a moist gauze over the empty socket and bite down for forty-five minutes.
Blood Clots
Bloods clots form in the empty socket post extraction and should never become dislodged. Be sure to avoid
Rinsing or spitting for 24 hours post extraction
Using a straw
Smoking and tobacco use
Consuming hot foods and beverages
Swelling
If you notice swelling within the first twenty-four hours, you can place a cold compress on your teeth every twenty minutes for ten minutes at a time.
Pain and Medication
If you experience pain, over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can provide relief.
Brushing and Cleaning
After your teeth extraction, do not brush your teeth until the following day. Use a salt water rinse before and after eating twenty-four hours after your extraction
Dry Socket
Dry socket occurs when a blood clot fails to form in the socket or becomes dislodged, which drastically impacts your healing. Follow all post extraction instructions to minimize the risk of developing dry socket.
Healing
Once your tooth is extracted, there will be a hole in your jawbone. It will take anywhere from several weeks to a few months for the hole to fill with bone.
