Facial Swelling in the Presence of a COVID-19 Diagnosis: Case Report

Jenelle Fleagle,Margarita Lorch

doi:10.3390/oral1020010

Jenelle Fleagle, Margarita Lorch

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/oral1020010

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Journal: Oral	Publication Date: Apr 22, 2021
Citations: 2	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children

Abstract

COVID-19 became a pandemic with a worldwide impact leading to stay-at-home orders, death, economic difficulties, and a significant influence on daily lives. Dental services became limited at this time, causing increased concerns for patients requiring urgent dental care. We report the case of a 5-year-old previously healthy male who presented to our hospital’s emergency department (ED) with facial swelling secondary to infected maxillary left molars. Extractions were performed in the ED with moderate sedation. He was later found to be COVID-19 positive before admission for intravenous antibiotics. The use of universal precautions during the pandemic in treating patients with possible COVID-19 symptoms and in aerosol-generating procedures is recommended. Evaluating and providing treatment to our patients with urgent dental care should not be delayed to prevent further complications and decrease the burden placed on the ED, which may be limited in its ability to provide definitive care.

Highlights

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 [1]. It quickly became a pandemic with a worldwide impact leading to stay-athome orders, death, economic difficulties, and a significant influence on daily lives
U.S, more than eight million people have tested positive for COVID-19 [2], and an even greater number of people are secondarily affected by COVID-19 through the inability to receive routine services, such as dental treatment
The aim of this report is to show how to care for a patient with a dental infection and the potential for a COVID-19 diagnosis during the pandemic

Summary

Introduction

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 [1]. It quickly became a pandemic with a worldwide impact leading to stay-athome orders, death, economic difficulties, and a significant influence on daily lives. U.S, more than eight million people have tested positive for COVID-19 [2], and an even greater number of people are secondarily affected by COVID-19 through the inability to receive routine services, such as dental treatment. On 13 March 2020, the U.S declared a national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to limitations of all nonemergency medical services, including dental offices.

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