As quarantine orders begin to lift, dental practices are beginning to reopen. However, the threat of COVID-19 is not gone, and sanitation is at the front of everyone’s mind. To keep you as healthy as possible while providing excellent dental care, a wide variety of infection control and dental safety protocols have been established. One new installment you’ll notice at your next dental appointment is the low hum of HEPA filters. Read on to learn more about these modern air purifiers and how they’re helping your Louisville dentist keep their practice cleaner than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Does COVID-19 Spread in a Dental Practice?
Like many viruses, COVID-19 is spread when infected respiratory droplets come in contact with someone’s mouth, nose, or eyes. This makes it easily transmittable wherever people are in close proximity, but it presents extra complications in a dental practice because of:
- Commonly touched surfaces like countertops and doorknobs, which can harbor COVID-19 germs for hours or days at a time. These fixtures are regularly disinfected with hospital-strength products.
- Splashes or sprays of spittle that may contain infected particles, which are commonplace in dentistry. Your dental team can protect themselves with masks, goggles, gloves, and face shields.
- Aerosol-generating treatments, which can disperse respiratory droplets farther and allow them to linger in the air longer. Thankfully, HEPA filters can help!
What is a HEPA Filter & How Does it Work?
HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air filter. They’re typically used to remove airborne irritants from their surroundings. First, they suck in the air around them and force it through an ultra-fine mesh. This barrier is capable of trapping microscopic particles like pollen, mold, pet dander, dust, tobacco smoke, and bacteria. Then, the newly cleaned air is released and the irritants are safely contained in the filter until it is taken out, thrown away, and replaced with a fresh mesh.
Do HEPA Filters Prevent Catching COVID-19?
HEPA filters are generally not used to entrap viruses because they’re usually too small. The filters are designed to catch particles that are 0.3 microns, but the COVID-19 virus is only roughly 0.1 microns. However, the coronavirus is spread through infected respiratory droplets that are dispersed when a sick person coughs, sneezes, or speaks and when the germs become aerosolized by certain dental treatments. Some health experts believe that these particles that contain COVID-19 are large enough to be caught in a HEPA filter, which can prevent airborne transmission.
It’s important to remember that social distancing and regular handwashing are the most effective ways to keep yourself healthy during the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, your dentist is taking every precaution to safeguard your health from COVID-19 during your appointment.
About the Practice
Bell Dental has been keeping the smiles of Louisville, KY happy and healthy with excellent dental care for over 50 years now. As a family-owned practice, we have always gone above and beyond to provide comfortable and conservative treatments that are tailored to each of our patients’ unique needs. In these unusual times, we are monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic carefully and adjusting our ambitious infection control protocols accordingly. If you’d like to learn more about our Commitment to Safety, please reach out to us via our website or at (502) 749-2355.