Going to Dentists During Pandemic is Safe
Delaying dental check-ups can cause detrimental effects on overall health.
Kathleen Matthews, the President of the Australian Dental Association New South Wales, said in an interview that COVID-19 caused people to be hesitant towards things that are not considered essential.
However, she said that dental check-ups are essential.
Dr. Matthews said that oral health issues continue to affect people, especially during the pandemic.
As people at home preferred to consume snacks that are unhealthy, the condition of their oral health has been alarming.
Taking a closer look at your food choices is recommendable during this pandemic.
It is safe to go to the dentist
Australian Oral Health Tracker research shows that 1 in 2 Australian adults have been consuming sugars at higher levels while 1 in 2 Australian adults brush their teeth twice a day.
This is because of the huge changes caused by the pandemic.
Dr. Matthews expressed her concern over such matters.
People are hesitant to go to dentists because of the pandemic.
However, she asserted that it is very safe to go to dentists.
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Dentists have been deployed under the Royal Flying Doctor Service to hold clinics across the remote areas of NSW.
Rachel Herbert, an RFDS dentist, said that they’ve been operating five days a week. They regularly go to towns such as Bourke, Collarenebri, Goodooga, and Lightning Ridge.
From 2017 to 2018, RFDS provided more than 21,000 dental health services across the country.
On average, 60 percent of Australian adults residing in major cities visited the dentist once a year while 45 percent of adults in remote areas have done so.
The inability of dentists to travel because of the COVID-19 lockdown caused waitlists to become longer.
An NSW Health research shows that there are currently 7,000 patients in Western NSW who are waiting for oral health attention.
