Austin TX – Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, millions of Americans have been asking what they are supposed to do in the event they have a dental issue.
It’s an absolutely critical question, especially here in Texas, where all non-essential surgeries and procedures have been put on hold until April 22.
David Frank DMD, an Austin based Dental expert and founder of Walden Dental, has some insights about how Dentists are helping to flatten the COVID curve and ensure patients get the most up to date information for their concerns about dentistry during the pandemic.
“What we want to ensure is that people are not inundating emergency rooms across the state and country for dental emergencies. For example, if you crack a tooth, you should call your dentist as opposed to rushing to the emergency room. Or if there is swelling in your mouth that started as a small knot and has started to increase in size, you need to call your dentist.”
Dr. Frank explains that there are certain additional conditions that can be alarming which should first be addressed by your dentist and not an emergency room. They are:
- Chewing that results in pain for more than a few seconds
- Something hot or cold that results in throbbing for more than a few seconds
- A pain that does not mitigate with Tylenol or Advil
Dr. Frank says that an informed patient is one who can help flatten the curve more effectively because they are not as likely to either seek treatment in the wrong place or conversely, not get treated at all because they are under the impression that there may be no help to had due to the increasing overload on hospitals.
“We as Dentists have the ability to triage dental issues practically immediately so those patients are not risking exposure to themselves or others by trying to be seen in an emergency room. Cracking a tooth can be a scary thing to deal with and we want to ensure people know we are here to help.”
David Frank, DMD, is a graduate of the prestigious United States Air Force Academy. After graduating from Tufts School of Dentistry, Dr. Frank served as a Captain in the United States Air Force Dental Corps. His practice is focused on providing patients cosmetic dentistry with the most clinically up to date information and modalities possible.
