Should
You Keep Your Sniffling Child Away from Our Office?
Six months ago, when you scheduled
your child’s twice-yearly dental checkup at KiDDS Dental, you had no idea he or she was going
to wake up on the designated day with a runny nose and sore throat. You have already
rearranged your work schedule to take your child to the appointment and don’t
want to put it off, especially because your child has been complaining about
some mouth pain. But should you still go if he or she is sick?
The American Dental Association
(ADA) recommends keeping the appointment even if your child has a cold. We
always take precautions to avoid spreading (and catching) common viruses: We
wear a mask, gloves and protective eyewear, and we thoroughly disinfect tools
and equipment. A simple cold is usually not a problem, unless your child’s nose
is so stuffed up that it’s impossible for him or her to breathe easily during
dental work or if sedation is scheduled.
Because the flu can cause severe
complications in some people (especially the very young), our illness policies
may become more stringent during a particularly bad flu season. After all, your
child doesn’t just sit in the dentist’s chair at an appointment. He or she also
checks in at the reception desk and hangs out in the waiting room. Many people
in our office, including other patients, don’t wear protective goggles and
surgical masks, and we have a responsibility to protect them, too. Since it can
be unclear whether your child has just a cold or something more serious (like
strep throat or the flu), we may decide it’s better to be safe than sorry.
So, if your child wakes up with the
sniffles on the day of a dental appointment, give us a call and ask if it would
be better to reschedule. We know rescheduling may cause you some inconvenience.
But remember that young children—just like all of us—can feel cranky when they
are sick. Rescheduling may be in everyone’s best interest―including yours.
Give us a call at 509-891-7070 to schedule today!
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