One assumption by many people during the COVID-19 pandemic is a trip to the dentist’s office might create a higher risk of coronavirus exposure. After all, dental procedures are known to create a spray of spittle and fine aerosols that could carry pathogens.
But an Ohio State University study involving 28 patient-volunteers found that dental procedures in the age of the coronavirus do not appear to be any more dangerous than quaffing a glass of water.
Scientists investigated whether watery samples taken from around a dental office during a range of procedures came from actual saliva. In a pandemic, it’s wayward saliva, not water out of a tap, that poses risk of infection.
They found that the source of the overwhelming majority of samples came from the watery solution sprayed by irrigation tools that squirt water into the mouths of patients. It wasn’t saliva.
In fact, none of the samples that were analyzed contained the coronavirus. That was true even when the virus was detected in the saliva of asymptomatic patients.
And that should make dentists, their employees and anyone with an aching molar confident about their safety.
Indeed, researchers noted it might actually be more dangerous to avoid the dentist. That’s because emerging evidence suggests poor oral health makes one more susceptible to COVID-19.
Investigators said their findings make sense. After all, all that water sprayed into the mouth dilutes potential virus-carrying saliva, thus reducing the odds of infection.
These findings are certainly good news. The bad news: That root canal isn’t going to be any more pleasant than it was pre-COVID-19.