For healthcare workers to maintain good personal hygiene, they must regularly wash their hands. With as much work that is done inside your mouth during a regular visit, it is imperative that your implant dentist in Tysons, VA, properly protect their hands from any possible germs and/or bacteria that could be passed along. But it’s not just these areas of the body that are important. During this time, while COVID-19 continues to spread, dental teams are taking additional precautions when it comes to hygiene. Check out the following methods they’re using to help you remain germ-free when coming in for an appointment.
Personal Hygiene 101
How are germs most easily passed along? The answer is through touch. Anytime you come into contact with another individual, there is the potential that you both could transfer harmful bacteria or viruses through a handshake, hug, or even a kiss. While more times than not, you will remain unphased by what you retrieve from someone else, there is a chance, especially now with COVID-19, that these interactions could negatively impact your health.
Each time you visit your dental office, you will notice that your dentist and their colleagues are wearing face masks and gloves as a layer of protection for both you and them. However, additional guidelines are being implemented at this time to ensure all staff members are wearing even more personal protective equipment when treating patients like yourself. While these added layers are vital to protect against COVID-19, so is your hygienist’s and dentist’s commitment to personal hygiene.
Some of the ways your dental team is keeping clean include:
- Keeping fingernails trimmed to avoid dirt accumulation underneath the nail bed that could easily transfer onto a patient or colleague while in contact with the individual.
- Making sure all hair is pulled back away from the face to avoid any possible bacteria from falling onto a person during treatment or potentially contaminating objects used during an appointment.
- Maintaining good oral hygiene by brushing teeth twice daily for two minutes, flossing at least once, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash to avoid unnecessary bacteria and viruses from accumulating within the mouth and possibly weakening the immune system.
- Changing into work clothes (i.e. scrubs) when arriving at work and changing out before leaving to go home. This is to prevent any bacteria and viruses accumulated on the clothes throughout the day from being transfer onto another individual outside the office.
- Washing hands regularly before and after wearing gloves, after treating a patient, and after touching any surface, object, or equipment with bare hands.
These steps are just one of the many reasons you can feel comfortable and confident about your next visit. Although there are many new protocols to remember, know that your dental team is constantly refreshing themselves so everyone can stay safe and healthy.
About the Practice
Dent-Plant Dental Implant Center’s highly-skilled team of dental specialists is working hard to make sure you feel comfortable the next time you arrive for an appointment. As COVID-19 remains a threat to the health and safety of both patients and staff, our dentists are maintaining high standards of cleanliness both inside and outside the office. If you are wondering what measures we are taking to ensure a sterile and germ-free environment, contact us via our website or by calling (571) 352-9006.