Those working in the medical field aren’t only our best defense against the coronavirus. They are also put in a very dangerous situation where they have to treat patients who are probably carriers of the virus. But patients are also worried, too, about their health. They have to go to their doctors and dentists for routine checkups and non-coronavirus-related concerns, but how can they do that without feeling like they’ve somehow contracted the virus from their doctors and dentists?
Health care professionals are most exposed in hospital settings and to people. So, it’s natural for their patients to think it might not be safe to see them right now. Still, people need to see their doctors and dentists for various emergency and non-emergency health and dental concerns. The government lifted restrictions on the services dentists can provide right now, but various dental associations still discourage dentists from doing unnecessary procedures.
Seeing Your Doctor
These days, no one wants to go to the hospital. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a hospital that did not handle a Covid-19 case in the past weeks. For patients, they can see a gastroenterologist and cardiologist just fine. These doctors deal with matters not related to the nose and mouth, which is where the virus enters. They don’t need to interact with these types of doctors in person because they usually just ask questions, have some tests made, and interpret those tests.
But what can you do if there’s a lump in your throat that you need to have checked? You will need to see an ENT. This is the kind of doctor that has to look into your ears, nose, and throat. If you are suffering from a sore throat, they have to ask you to remove your mask and open your mouth to check on your throat. They would need to look into your ears if you’re complaining of pain in the canal.
These things are, of course, anxiety-inducing. Thankfully, doctors also want to protect themselves from too much physical interaction. That’s why they are offering telemedicine services. This is a type of consult where you’ll get into a teleconference with your doctor. You can even have a phone consult with your doctor. This is the safest way for patients to consult with doctors.
Going for a Dental Appointment
Admit it, before the pandemic, you don’t even think about going to your dentists. For some reason, people are naturally afraid of dentists. But now, you want to have your teeth and gums checked. You want to take care of your dental health better. How do you do it without putting yourself at risk? Dentists can do telemedicine, too, if you are complaining about teeth and gum problems.
The dentists can use their clinical eye when judging whether to do a procedure or not. The dentists will evaluate if the lack of treatment will cause irreversible damage in the future. If the clinicians decide to pursue treatment, then they should do so wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and by following minimum standard safety protocols.
The new reality also involves the patients undergoing screening to make sure you are not the carrier of the virus. During the screening, the patients need to answer questions relating to their possible exposure to the virus. They also need to disclose if they are suffering from symptoms that are related to the virus.
If they have Covid-19-related symptoms, the dentists might need to require testing first. Once the negative results arrived, that’s the only time they can see the patients in person. In the meantime, the dentists can provide consultations through video calls, phone calls, and emails.
A New Normal
Taking care of your health has never been as important as it is now. But, for many people, doing so means going to the dentist and doctor to have routine checkups. The new normal ensures that both sides—doctors and patients—are safe and protected. While it is not ideal, this is the best defense people have against the coronavirus. The important thing is for you to realize that even with the virus, it is still possible to visit your dentist and doctor.
One of the worst things that can happen to people is for them to feel insecure about visiting the doctor or dentist. This will only exacerbate any medical- and dental-related concerns they have. If you feel something and you think you need to see a doctor or dentist, reach out to them to find out the safety protocols you need to follow.