Thermographic Control of Pediatric Dental Patients During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemics Using Smartphones

Alessandra Putrino,Valeria Calace,Ersilia Barbato,Mario Raso,Martina Caputo,Gabriella Galluccio

doi:10.1590/pboci.2021.099

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of infrared (IR) thermal camera connected to smartphones, already used in medicine for diagnostic purposes, as an easy tool for access screening to pediatric dentistry services. Material and Methods: After the preventive telephone triage, thirty orthodontic patients (7-13 years) underwent temperature measurement in the office with two no-contact IR devices: forehead digital thermometer and thermal-camera connected to a smartphone (reference areas: forehead, inner canthi, ears). Measurements were compared and differences were statistically investigated with T student’s test (p<0.01). Results: Forehead digital thermometer temperatures were superimposable to those recorded in ear areas and inner canthi with the thermal camera connected to a smartphone. Differences were not statistically significant even in comparison between the sexes. Forehead temperature values detected with a thermal camera are lower than those detected with a digital forehead thermometer. Conclusion: Thermal camera on a smartphone could be reliable in measuring body temperature. Mobile thermographic values of ears and inner canthi areas can be used as an alternative to forehead digital thermometer measurements. Further applications in pediatric dentistry of thermography on smartphones should be examined.

Highlights

Since the beginning of the pandemic, as knowledge and experience on the novel Coronavirus evolved, national and international health institutions provided precautionary standards to follow to ensure safe access to patients in hospitals, medical and dental practices [1,2].Dental activity during the lockdown was limited to emergency management
This study aimed to evaluate the use of infrared thermal imaging cameras (IR-TIC) on a smartphone as a reliable device for body temperature measurement in children
Data Collection The telephone triage of examined patients did not reveal potentially important elements for possible contact with the SARS-CoV-2

Summary

Introduction

Since the beginning of the pandemic, as knowledge and experience on the novel Coronavirus evolved, national and international health institutions provided precautionary standards to follow to ensure safe access to patients in hospitals, medical and dental practices [1,2]. Dental activity during the lockdown was limited to emergency management. During dental emergency management and later, once the routine dental activity was resumed, among the protective measures taken in addition to telephone triage and the use of all personal protective devices (face mask, gloves, shoe covers, hair cap), great relevance was given to the measurement of body temperature. A body temperature above 37.5° C is considered one of the potential symptoms of COVID-19. Many SARS-CoV2 positive subjects are asymptomatic, the fever, a common symptom of viral infections in general, should be considered one of the first patient records to be monitored [4,5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion