Kenneth A. Abe, D.D.S.
Specialist in Periodontics
Microsurgery, Digital Dental Implantology
Call: (650)941-2168

COVID-19 and Dental Health

 



I hope all is well with you and yours.  As you probably know there is a surge in COVID-19 cases. I want to urge you to follow safety guidelines to limit the spread of the disease. With this novel disease we are all adjusting our protocols as we learn more about this disease. I would like to share with you a quote from the CDA ( California Dental Association ).


 “In these extraordinary times, dental professionals might need to shift their focus to a general health and systemic inflammation approach.

In fact, previous studies have linked periodontitis to respiratory conditions, with increased risk for complications and higher mortality
rate in hospitalized patients. The impact of a connection between periodontal treatment, IL-6 levels, respiratory conditions and COVID-19 can b
e powerful considering the high prevalence of periodontal disease in adults, the high transmission rate of SARS-CoV-2, the limited access to periodontal treatment during the pandemic and the shortage of health care resources related to hospitalized COVID-19 patients who require mechanical ventilation.... Considering the potential impact of poor oral hygiene and periodontitis on respiratory infections and COVID-19, periodontal interventions are important to reduce the burden of oral bacteria and potentially decrease systemic inflammation...Given the high transmission rate of the virus and the 22 times higher risk for COVID-19 respiratory issues ... every attempt to decrease this inflammatory controller (IL-6) should be prioritized. Furthermore, periodontitis is considered as a risk factor for cardiovascular disea
se, hypertension and diabetes, which are comorbidities associated with increased mortality rate for COVID-19.”

The ability of nonsurgical periodontal treatment (teeth cleaning) to lower cytokine levels has been highlighted in the dental literature. Thus, lower IL-6 levels and inflammation resulting from periodontal treatment can potentially protect COVID-19 patients against life threatening respiratory complications

With this in mind, I want to encourage you NOT to delay any periodontal treatment and maintenance recall appointments. By maintaining your periodontal health you can  minimize the increased risk for complications and higher mortality rates with COVID-19. It is particularly important if you have other comorbidity risks such as respiratory compromises, systemic factors and age. 

We have made a great effort to make your visit to our office as safe as possible (please follow this link http://www.drkennethabe.com/covid-19-controls/ for more information). You can call our office to schedule appointments or call us at 650 941-2168.

Keep Safe,
Kenneth Abe D.D.S. 

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