The coronavirus pandemic has caused some dental offices to close, but what about patients who are experiencing dental emergencies like pain and infection? Worcester Periodontics is one office still open, only seeing these emergency patients.

They’re taking precautions by having patients wait in their cars until they’re called in and isolating them once inside.
The doctors are wearing a new set of N95 masks, faces shields, gloves, and gowns for each patient. And patients are rinsing with peroxide before they’re seen.

Dr. Steven Litwin, DMD said, "The idea behind that is to decrease the load of micro organisms in the mouth. So if we’re working in the mouth, there’s less aerosols I could potential he have viruses or any other unknown factor”

Dr. Ancy Verdier, DMD advises people to call their dentist if they have serious pain, pus or swelling... but other minor issues can wait.

Dr. Verdier said, "Our goal is to alleviate our colleagues at the hospitals and urgent cares. Dental emergencies do not need to be seen at urgent care or the hospitals, that’s what your dentist is for. And not every office is open we understand that, what is a surgical facility and what we’re doing here we’ve been accustomed to treating patients they have some sort of mitigating circumstances we need to be seen right away”

Worcester periodontics is also using telemedicine before in-person visits, having patients explain concerns and show them what’s going on in their mouths. They say the best thing you can do is keep brushing, flossing and try not to clench your teeth when you’re stressed.