The city’s dentists are reporting an increase in the number of patients coming in for routine checkups. During Covid, many patients have postponed their visits to the dentist. The majority of problems experienced by patients were related to gums, missing teeth, followed by root canal treatment and crowns. Untreated tooth decay on permanent teeth was the most common finding according to doctors.
Dr. Vikas Pol, a dentist in the city, said: “As we return to the pre-pandemic stage, many patients have chosen to come for regular dental checkups. There is definitely more awareness of dental issues and hygiene and many patients have learned during the pandemic not to put dental issues on hold.
Dr Rahul Reddy, Head of Clinical Operations Excellence, Apollo Dental said that during Covid many dental patients did not go for checkups due to risk of contamination hence most non-elective procedures like scaling, fillings and cosmetics. treatments have taken a back seat.
“After the wave of Covid, most people who needed dental services started making appointments. In addition, many have understood the hygiene and health services that are essential for leading a happy life. In terms of numbers, the number of people entering dental clinics has increased sharply. Walk-in visits have increased as we see there was an urgency among patients for dental services,” Dr Reddy said.
He added that the most common patient complaint (40.7%) was food sensitivity and lodging in the upper and lower posterior teeth.
“The good side of Covid-19 is that it has raised awareness about health and hygiene. The majority of issues are related to gums, missing teeth, followed by root canal treatment and crowns,” Dr. Reddy said.
Dr. Minal Salvi, another dentist in the city, said non-emergency dental cases were postponed by many patients after the pandemic outbreak. “Now that everyone is back to normal, we have seen more patients visiting us for regular dental issues as well as preventive dental check-ups,” Dr. Salvi said.
