Key dental challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interdisciplinary platform

Abstract

Relevance. The article presents an analysis of the key dental problems during the pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), discussed on the platform of the interdisciplinary all-Russian online conference „Prevention of cross-infection at dental appointments in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The high professional interest of dentists in the problems of high risk of transmission of infection at a dental appointment, the role of dental manifestations in the general symptom complex of COVID-19, the possibilities of testing saliva for SARS-CoV-2, the peculiarities of providing specific types of dental care in different periods of a pandemic, dental (hygienic) accompanying patients in outpatient and inpatient treatment, including in intensive care units. Based on the analysis of existing data on the immunopathogenesis of the disease, the main risk factors and routes of infection, the principles of systematization of COVID-associated diseases (conditions) of the oral cavity, the proposed approaches to their correction and treatment were discussed. Based on the results of our own observations and analysis of foreign publications, clinical variants of the manifestation of the disease (or its medication support) in the oral cavity have been analyzed. The important role of interdisciplinary approaches (dentists, healthcare organizers, epidemiologists, microbiologists, immunologists, etc.) to solving dental problems during a pandemic is emphasized. The role of modern IT-technologies, telemedicine and teledentistry in the implementation of educational and scientific-practical activities for the medical and dental community during a pandemic is highlighted.