Coronavirus hits dentists hard; say they're at high risk

Hyderabad: With dental hospitals closed for more than a month, dentists now are reduced to prescribe painkillers. Even after the lockdown is lifted, say dentists that people would be apprehensive to visit them fearing coronavirus.

During the current pandemic scare, the highest risk in the medical field could be the dentists as they directly deal with the issues of the mouth.

Dr K Gautam, dentist from GA Dental Clinic, Banjara Hills, said, "The condition is not going to be the same after the lockdown. Dental procedures are already expensive and now there will be more hike in dental procedures.

Dentistry is the only medical field which has been affected big time as of now we are attending patients over phone calls and video calls and are prescribing antibiotics and pain killers for temporary relief."

Further, he adds, "Diagnosing a patient is very difficult as we can't make out the problem precisely over phone calls. Apart from the regular callers we are only attending emergency cases at the moment."

Dr M Ajay, a dentist from Sri Sai Dental clinic, shares, "Since the lockdown has been imposed there are hardly any patients visiting."

"It will be a testing time for dentists. We all have to be cautious while treating patients.

It has now become potentially a high-risk job. Performing surgeries in the mouth is something that will be a big concern," adds Dr Ajay.