Monday, August 17, 2020

WHO: Don't Go to the Dentist

Want to know why people no longer trust medical authorities? The World Health Organization provides a perfect example of such skepticism when it advised people to avoid going to the dentist during the pandemic.  WHO stated in an August 3 guidance:

WHO advises that routine non-essential oral health care – which usually includes oral health check-ups, dental cleanings and preventive care – be delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates from community transmission to cluster cases or according to official recommendations at national, sub-national or local level. The same applies to aesthetic dental treatments. However, urgent or emergency oral health care interventions that are vital for preserving a person's oral functioning, managing severe pain or securing quality of life should be provided.
Yeah, that's real smart.  Don't get that X-ray that might pick up that cavity.  Wouldn't want to get it filled.  Hell, it might turn into an abscess requiring a root canal.  Now we are talking major money if you're not insured.  Periodontal disease can lead to cardiac and other problems as well but that is a trivial matter.  Poor people can't afford dental implants but many can afford preventive care but hey, who needs teeth when we can make jokes about rednecks and limeys?

 The dentists didn't take too kindly to the WHO's advice.  The American Dental Association took issue with the WHO last week:

The American Dental Association (ADA) respectfully yet strongly disagrees with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to delay “routine” dental care in certain situations due to COVID-19.

“Oral health is integral to overall health. Dentistry is essential health care,” states ADA President Chad P. Gehani, D.D.S. “Dentistry is essential health care because of its role in evaluating, diagnosing, preventing or treating oral diseases, which can affect systemic health.”

Dr. Gehani added that in March, when COVID-19 cases began to rise in the U.S., the ADA called for dentists to postpone all but urgent and emergency care in order to understand the disease, consider its effect on dental patients, dental professionals and the greater community.

Both the ADA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) then issued interim guidance for dental professionals related to COVID-19. The ADA’s guidance calls for the highest level of PPE available—masks, goggles and face shields. The ADA’s interim guidance also calls for the use of rubber dams and high velocity suction whenever possible and hand scaling when cleaning teeth rather than using ultrasonic scaling to minimize aerosols.

Dr. Gehani concludes, “Millions of patients have safely visited their dentists in the past few months for the full range of dental services. With appropriate PPE, dental care should continue to be delivered during global pandemics or other disaster situations.” Statement.


21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been to my dentist for a checkup, and felt perfectly safe. They all all had on protective gear and looked like space aliens. They took my temp, made me wash my hands, and gargle with something. Came out to my car first to ask me questions. No one was in the waiting room.

The ADA has pushed back hard on this WHO recommendation so it is going no where here regardless.

Anonymous said...

The only WHO I listen to is from Shepherd's Bush in London. They advised me to don't "be fooled again". How many more false alarms are we going to tolerate from our neighbors in the Far East?

Anonymous said...

So when I die from the infected abscess will the MS Dept. of Health still mark it down as Covid-19 death?

Anonymous said...

Fair enough, no dentist visits. And I'm not going to visit my in-law's or clean out the gutters until COVID-19 goes away. Life's been good to me so far.

Anonymous said...

Think about this for a minute.
We are forced to wear a mask when we step out of our front door.
Who in the hell would think they should go to someone who will stick their hands in their mouth?

Anonymous said...

the usa not giving money to the WHO was a great decision. they are wrong on most health issues. when a dentist wears fresh gloves, n95 mask, cloth mask and face shield they aren’t giving it to you at all. it’s impossible to reduce your risk to zero unless you want to be a “bubble boy”..

Anonymous said...

I'm ready for November 5th when all of this fear mongering will be over. People have had it with their BS. Yes the virus is real, so are alligators in the Rez. Should we still be told we cant swim in the Rez….wait...on second thought, don't give Fuhrer Sigmund any ideas.

Anonymous said...

It seems to me the WHO has to speak to the lowest common denominator. I take that into account when considering its recommendations, and if I lived in India I might consider this advice relevant to me.

That doesn't mean the WHO is a completely useless organization with zero credibility. We seem to have lost our ability to make nuanced distinctions and everything has to be either entirely good or entirely bad. It's as if our society has Borderline Personality Disorder, brought on by election-year politics.

Anonymous said...

This shit is so unbelievable it makes me laugh. Nothing but sheep and lemmings out there. What will you all do when a real problem darkens our doorway? At this point I'm convinced 4 Chicoms in a rowboat could take over this country while we scramble looking for our masks. Grow a set.

Anonymous said...

@10:29, People who realize that we’ve most all been exposed to COVID19 and our immune systems kicked it off like rainwater and also realize that a 99.6% survival rate is pretty damned good and not a reason to irreparably destroy the economy, people’s livelihoods and businesses while tricking people into participating in a cosmic humiliation ritual while also turning neighbor against neighbor like the communists did

Anonymous said...

I’m all for not giving WHO any more funds. The link to the article should pretty much sum it all up. We were played like fools because the Chinese got their feelings hurt. Oral Health is VERY important to overall health. I can’t begin to tell you how many of my employees have has terrible teeth when they began working for me. Just awful and there is no reason for it. It begins at home and caring about your health. One more way to care about our health is to absolutely shut China off in every way possible. The problem is, they are not finished with us yet. We are battling a biological attack due to over 400,000 Wuhan Citizens traveled abroad in December. Just think what’s going to happen when they drop an EMP bomb. That will set us back 100 years. And their 5G crap? It’s a known fact they can spy on you through this. But getting back to the WHO, the USA gave them 450 million a year and China only gave 40 million. Yes, they are complicit in assisting China with this plague. Corrupt to the core.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-who-has-a-big-china-problem-2020-04-22

EAB said...

I'm so glad to see you all acknowledge the importance of routine preventative medical and dental care. I'm sure you'll all be just as concerned about how under- and uninsured people can affordably access that same care when the pandemic ends.

After all, being unable to get a mammogram ($600 for my last one) or dental exam ($200 w/ x-rays for my last one, more if you need a filling) is just as bad for your health either way, whether it's due to WHO guidelines or financial reasons.

Anonymous said...

Who says don't go to the dentist

What about the proctologist? I haven't had my colonoscopy this year and it is the highlight of my spring! I always have it done the same time I do my taxes for twice the euphoria!

Anonymous said...

@11:27
They should do like I did when I was a poor 22 year old in college with wisdom teeth and call the UMC School of Dentistry. Just because I was poor didn't mean I was too stupid and lazy to take care of myself.

I also want to share another bit of brilliance. Dentists are business owners but still humans and not inflexible if you explain your situation.

Anonymous said...

Since no one else will, I defend the WHO. What they are cautioning is common sense.

When was your dentist last screened with a PCR for COVID? How about the hygenist? Did she have a great family wedding over weekend where only 40 relatives came? That was Saturday. Although she is young and will remain asymptomatic, she is now 3-4 days into her incubation and just about ready to breath those little viruses right down your wind-pipe (trachea).

Bingo. In studies in San Diego, California, healthcare facilities are in the top 10 for outbreak sources.

Choose your exposures at your own risk.

Anonymous said...

2:28 for the abso-damn-lute win!

Anonymous said...

Come on,,, Asteroid.

Anonymous said...

" The only WHO I listen to is from Shepherd's Bush in London.
They advised me to don't "be fooled again". "

I vote this for the win.

But I will admit, the proctologist analogy is not only true . . . but funny as shit.

No pun intended.

Anonymous said...

People keep saying 99.xx% survival. That is simply wrong. For America currently the survival rate is 96.86% (percentage is less globally). This is still very good odds you will survive but the difference in the numbers is significant...

For example, if 100 million people in the USA catch the virus...

at 99.6% survival, 400,000 die
at 96.86% survival, 3,140,000 die

THAT is why public health officials are freaking out.

Additionally, if too many get sick at once, hospital systems will be overwhelmed and the survival rate will most certainly drop.

It is looking more and more like this winter will be quite ugly.

Clean Teeth Healthy Gums said...

@2:42 PM, "healthcare facilities" are totally different from dental offices. In this July 6th NPR article, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/07/06/886456835/the-dentist-will-see-you-now-but-should-you-go, it stated, "...the good news is that both the World Health Organization and the CDC say there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 transmitted in a dental office so far. And that includes follow-up by the CDC of news reports suggesting such infections,..." On August 4th two dental offices in COLORADO reported "outbreaks" but one of those clinics only had TWO office staff members test positive; they didn't treat patients clinically. https://krdo.com/news/2020/08/05/dentists-discuss-coronavirus-safety-after-outbreaks-at-2-colorado-springs-dental-offices/.I find it a stretch that they're considered "outbreak sites" if at least two people test positive. After an extensive internet search that's all I could find mentioning COVID and dental offices in the U.S. - two clinics with COVID cases. My kid's school has reported three positive cases and I've yet to hear the words "outbreak site." The average dental office puts roughly $1M into their local economy. This isn't profit; it's payroll and property taxes, employee salaries, community sponsorships and activities; etc. Leave the dental offices open and let the patients decide if they're comfortable going to an appointment.

BTW, I quit listening to WHO months ago. Their handling of this pandemic has been laughable.

Green Acres said...

I had a dental checkup a couple of months ago and felt "safe" because my dentist's office took thorough precautions to reduce the risk of transmission.

I am far more concerned about going to the eye doctor where I have to sit face to face with the doctor to examine my eyes. I have cataracts and need surgery to remove them, but will postpone that for awhile longer until the high transmission rate comes down significantly.


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