Articles: dentistry.
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Aug 2020
Findings from an OMFS journal club: is COVID-19 the catalyst we have needed to embrace technology?
The COVID-19 outbreak has rapidly progressed into a worldwide pandemic, and the need for social distancing has changed the way we learn and work. Our monthly OMFS journal club has been no different, and is currently meeting on the video conferencing application Microsoft Teams. The use of a virtual setting for training in medicine and dentistry is not new and, as in the case of our recent move to a virtual medium, it may be that COVID-19 has fast-tracked this digital transformation. ⋯ The use of internet technology such as video conferencing is not new, and although journal clubs are typically held in academic institutions, online and virtual clubs are flourishing. With an array of advantages, there is no shying away from the trend to move our teaching to a virtual medium. COVID-19 may have just provided the stimulus that has forced this transformation to accelerate.
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This article provides an introduction to environmentally sustainable dentistry and offers perspectives on managing drivers to reduce carbon emissions and make dentistry more environmentally sustainable. A sustainable world must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Global commitment to sustainability and demands for a sustainable world are growing. ⋯ This should include an analysis of single-use instruments, chemicals, and products. Building research capacity by training students and creating virtual or physical centers for sustainability is essential. Financial support is needed for priority areas of research.
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Dental sleep medicine is a discipline that includes conditions such as sleep breathing disorders (eg snoring and sleep apnoea), sleep bruxism, orofacial pain and sleep-related complaints, and to some extent gastro-oesophageal reflux disorder and/or insomnia. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a life-threatening condition that dentists need to identify and manage when indicated in order to increase patient well-being and to be taken in consideration in the dental curriculum. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the relevance of dental sleep medicine in the context of dental education, and to discuss potential educational content for integration in the dental curriculum with a focus on OSA, a condition that is not yet integrated in many dental training curricula around the world.
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Disaster Med Public Health Prep · Jul 2020
Effectiveness and Recommendations for the Use of Dental Masks in the Prevention of COVID-19: A Literature Review.
The purpose of this investigation was to identify, synthesize, and compare all the current information on the efficacy of dental masks, emphasizing their use, types, and filters to prevent the spread and infection of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. A bibliographic search of the main scientific databases was carried out using the words "masks, COVID-19, and dentistry." Articles without language restriction up to May 31, 2020, were obtained. The types of masks, their half-life, method to use, sterilization, and proposed alternatives for dental masks were analyzed. ⋯ Regarding sterilization, most of the articles presented studies using ultraviolet germicidal irradiation as the sterilization method. Regarding respirator mask half-life, we recommend prolonged use, combined with a disposable surgical mask over the respirator mask. Finally, the use of N95 or FFP2 respirators are recommended as part of personal protective equipment for dental use.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Jul 2020
ReviewInfection Control in Dental Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
COVID-19 is the disease supported by SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes a severe form of pneumonia. Due to the pathophysiological characteristics of the COVID-19 syndrome, the particular transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2, and the high globalization of our era, the epidemic emergency from China has spread rapidly all over the world. Human-to-human transmission seems to occur mainly through close contact with symptomatic people affected by COVID-19, and the main way of contagion is via the inhalation of respiratory droplets, for example when patients talk, sneeze or cough. ⋯ The dental practitioners are particularly exposed to a high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection because they cannot always respect the interpersonal distance of more than a meter and are exposed to saliva, blood, and other body fluids during surgical procedures. Moreover, many dental surgeries can generate aerosol, and the risk of airborne infection is to be considered higher. The aim of this paper is to provide practical advice for dentists based on the recent literature, which may be useful in reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 during clinical practice.