SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Dentists across Ohio are seeing an increase in dental issues related to stress caused by the pandemic.
What You Need To Know
- Dentists like Dr. Malcolm Walters Jr. are seeing increases in issues like teeth grinding from stress
- Dentists are attempting to keep offices as sanitary as possible
- Dr. Walters says one of the best ways of avoiding a major dental issue during the pandemic is to continue your routine dental visits
Dr. Malcolm Walters Jr., DDS takes care preparing for his next patient, making sure the station is sanitary.
“You were already doing universal protection, but with the new standards of what we do right now, you’re increased over everything,” Walters said. “You’re double bagging almost everything. You see me double bagging my mask, you wear your hat now, you wear gloves you wear a mask and we also wear glasses and shields in everything we do.”
The dentist of more than two decades said COVID-19 hasn’t just changed how he takes care of teeth in his Shaker Heights practice, but some of the issues he’s treating related to the pandemic.
“They complain of headaches, grinding of the teeth, because it’s stressful,” he said. “I’m not working, I don’t have any social contact with people, I’m in house all day, my routine’s coming off and next thing you know, you have a lot of broken fillings because people are grinding their teeth, you have headaches.”
With an increase of stress-related teeth grinding, Walters is using TMJ splints, used to protect and repair teeth.
“I tell patients, ‘when do you feel the most stressed?’” he said. “They say, ‘well, sometimes when I’m sitting at home, working on the computer.’ I say ‘where it at that time there.”
Walters said another issue comes from COVID-19 changing daily routines. With many people working from home, that impacts routines like brushing and flossing.
“So, the normal routine of brushing and flossing has decreased,” Walters said. “So what’s also increased is to the hygiene problems when they come in because now we have periol, gingivitis, you have bleeding of the gums because my normal routine is now knocked off.”
Walters’ staff wipes down the room, making it safe and comfortable for the next patient, he said the best way for people’s mouth to make it through the pandemic, is simply continuing visits to the dentist.
“Don’t be concerned or too afraid to go see them,” he said. “Because what could be a simple filling, can be taken care of, but if you allow it to turn into something bigger, it can be a root canal or the tooth could be removed. But just trust your dentist.”
