The Emerging Obstacles in Dentistry and Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)

Ayesha Aziz                                     BDS

Syed Zahid Hassan                         BDS

With the high rate of transmission, novel coronavirus is a strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome i.e. SARS-CoV-2, which was first reported in Wuhan, China in December, 2019, hence it is known as COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus as a pandemic, because of its global spread. Coronavirus is an airborne pathogen which is extremely contagious and typically presents with respiratory distress as one of the common symptoms. Although, the transmission is through animal contact primarily but now the virus has mutated and is capable of spreading via human transmission routes. The increased spread has invoked different responses from all over the world. Cross infection between patient and the dental professional is excessive because of the general characteristics of a dental set up, due to which routine dental procedures have been suspended throughout the world. The Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommends to facilitate urgent and emergency visits only, postponing elective dental care. To provide emergency services, infection control methods should be as effective as possible.
KEYWORDS: Coronavirus, infection control, dentistry.
HOW TO CITE: Aziz A, Hassan SZ. The emerging obstacles in dentistry and coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). J Pak Dent Assoc 2020;29(S):S53-55.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25301/JPDA.29S.S53
Received: 04 May 2020, Accepted: 07 June 2020

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