As a parent, your greatest concern during the COVID-19 pandemic is probably to make sure that your child stays safe, especially since younger children are so vulnerable and active. Even though you may feel scared and worried, with proper preventive care recommended by the CDC, you can keep your child safe. Read on to learn the best ways to protect your child from the virus and how to reach your emergency dentist if you experience any type of urgent oral situation while self-isolating.
COVID-19 Prevention Tips for Children
The most intimidating and fearsome traits about the COVID-19 virus is that scientists aren’t incredibly familiar with it. Fortunately, they are aware of how parents can keep their child safe and healthy during the pandemic. Here are some preventive tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Frequently clean your child’s hands using antibacterial soap, washing for 20 seconds.
- Avoid taking them out to public places where people could be sick.
- Clean and disinfect any high-traffic areas of your house, such as any activity or play rooms.
- Wash items such as stuffed animals at the warmest possible setting (according to the care instructions on the tag). Dirty clothes from someone who is sick can be washed with other people’s clothing and items.
Because COVID-19 is spread by droplets transferred to the mucous membrane, the key is to keep as many surfaces as possible that your child interacts with completely clean, which is why professionals recommend to target game rooms and activity areas.
Children Are More Likely To Present With Mild Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many children with COVID-19 present with typically mild symptoms. These include cold-like signs such as a fever, runny nose, cough, and occasionally, vomiting or diarrhea. Specialists report that it isn’t known whether children are at a higher risk of contracting severe illness or not. However, if your child has an underlying medical condition such as asthma or diabetes, it’s more likely.
If your child does present with serious symptoms, be sure to contact your local emergency room or doctor’s office before showing up there. This allows them to prepare and protect their staff and patients from infection and provide excellent treatment for your child.
What You Can Do If You Experience a Dental Emergency While Self-Isolating
Unfortunately, COVID-19 isn’t the only issue parents have to worry about. Many children are out of school and self-isolating with their families, which also increases their chances of experiencing a dental emergency. Instead of taking them to their local ER, where there will likely be an increase in traffic and patients, bring them to their emergency dentist. Even though many dental professionals have stopped administering preventive, cosmetic, and restorative procedures during the pandemic, they are accepting all patients that require urgent care.
Although these unsure times can be scary and intimidating to deal with, many parents are taking the preventive steps they need to in order to keep their child safe and healthy. Even if you’re self-isolating, emergencies can happen, just remember that you have more options than your local ER, especially if your little one experiences a chipped, knocked-out, or broken tooth!
About the Practice
At Barefield Pediatric Dentistry, we offer the services and expertise of five dental professionals, many of which are board-certified through the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. This means that they’ve completed additional years of training and schooling to focus especially on treating developing smiles and helping young patients feel comfortable at the dental office. We offer a variety of services tailored to children, including special needs dentistry, sedation, and fast and pain-free emergency dental care. For questions or to schedule an emergency appointment, visit our website or call 972-298-7560.