Impact of COVID-19 in pediatric dentistry: A literature review

Background: The on going COVID-19 epidemic has spread very quickly. World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on 30^th January 2020 and called for collaborative efforts from all countries to prevent the rapid spread of COVID-19. In pandemic conditions like today, dentists can be the first people to contact with an infected person; these people can become carriers and infect others. COVID-19 transmission during dental treatment can occur through aerosol inhalation or direct contact with saliva, contaminated instruments and surface, especially for children patient in pediatric dentistry. Objective: To review the impact of COVID-19 in pediatric dentistry. Literature Review: In the dental environment associated with pediatric dental care, oral fluids from patients or contaminated dental instruments or environmental surfaces create a potential pathway to spread the virus. Dental care procedures which include the use of instruments such as high-speed turbine handpieces and scalers for oral hygiene are associated with the formation of aerosols and large droplets of saliva and blood from patients. Discussion: For children able to split, pre-procedural mouth rinse with 0.5%–1% hydrogen peroxide should be used, as it has non specific virucidal activity against corona viruses. Dentists should avoid or minimize operations that can produce droplets or aerosols. Conclusion: On the other hand, if faced with a dental emergency, immediate intervention is needed, adherence to the strict protection protocols of each individual involved and environmental disinfection is very important to minimize the risk of cross infection.