In these times of work-from-home, no work and social distancing, it’s easy to become lazy in caring for ourselves. But there are a few things one should not ignore – and one of them is your teeth, according to Durham dentists.
“Teeth should last us a lifetime – and they can, if proper care is taken of them,” says Dr. Leila Shayanpour of Wyndam Manor Dental Care at Middlecote Drive in Ajax.
“Under the current circumstances, it is not advisable that you visit your dentist for regular checks. So, it is up to you to maintain proper dental care and oral hygiene,” she points out.
“However, if you do experience tooth pain or bleeding in the gums or face trauma, you must immediately call your dentist,” adds Dr. Mohamed Roshdy, Dr. Leila’s husband and partner at the clinic.
During the pandemic, Wyndam Manor Dental Care remains open for emergency dental treatment. “We have extended our hours to 7 days a week and respond to patient calls 24 hours a day,” Dr. Roshdy said.
Both pointed out that for the safety of patients, staff and themselves, “we go above and beyond with our sterilization protocol to meet and exceed Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) guidelines to safely serve our community, to get people out of pain and keep them out of hospitals”.
Safety First
“We do not encourage walk-ins as we need to screen the patients over the phone prior to their visit. When they arrive, we use various Personal Protective Equipment, including gown, N95 masks, gloves, face shield, shoe covers etc. We stagger the patients to allow only one patient in the office at a time and sanitize all common areas such as doorknobs, chairs etc.,” Dr. Leila pointed out.
“If you are experiencing dental pain, infection, bleeding or trauma to the face please give us a call at (905) 424-7344 or email at wyndammmanordentalcare@gmail.com,” she added.
“For those who have dental insurance, we bill directly to their insurance so they don’t have to worry about paying upfront and going through the hassle of getting reimbursed. We give patients with no dental insurance, a discount to make treatment more affordable,” she added.
When should you visit your dentist?
RCDSO, the regulatory body for Ontario dentists, has identified four categories of emergency care and 11 categories of urgent care as follows:
Emergency Care
- Oral-facial trauma
- Cellulitis or other significant infection, especially if compromising the patient’s airway
- Prolonged bleeding
- Pain that cannot be managed by over-the-counter medications
Urgent Care
- Severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation
- Pericoronitis or wisdom tooth pain
- Surgical post-operative osteitis, dry socket dressing changes
- Abscess or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
- Tooth fracture resulting in pain, pulp exposure or causing soft tissue trauma
- Dental trauma with avulsion/luxation
- Final crown/bridge cementation if the temporary restoration is lost, broken or causing gingival irritation
- Biopsy of a suspicious oral lesion or abnormal oral tissue
- Replacing a temporary filling in an endodontic access opening for patients experiencing pain
- Snipping or adjusting an orthodontic wire or appliance piercing or ulcerating the oral mucosa
- Treatment required before critical medical procedures can be provided.
Dr Roshdy pointed out while cleaning and filling are non-essential and actually dangerous procedures at this time as they generate a lot of aerosols, root canal is an essential treatment if patient is pain.
Both Dr. Roshdy and Dr. Leila have studied dentistry at the University of Toronto (UofT). In fact, Dr. Leila has a masters’ degree in electrical engineering but switched to dentistry and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from UofT. She and her husband have a son and two Maltese dogs. In her spare time, she listens to music, reads and travels, while Dr. Roshdy enjoys hiking and reading about history.
Here’s how to take care of your teeth
Tips for brushing:
- Use extra soft bristles
- Brush in up and down or circular motion but avoid scrubbing the teeth back and forth
How to choose toothpaste:
- Kids of two years of age and older should use fluoridated toothpaste
- Whitening toothpastes can cause sensitivity. If you have sensitive teeth avoid such toothpastes
Flossing is essential for cleaning between the teeth – remember the brush doesn’t go between the teeth. Water flossers are not as effective as actual floss.
Gum disease is a silent disease that can affect your overall health. Once the pandemic is over, make sure you get regular dental cleaning.
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