After a decade, humankind is facing yet another pandemic, Coronavirus/COVID-19. While the virus has killed many, the ones who survived it are facing the side effects. Because the exact cure and side effects are unknown to us, many health issues are being witnessed, deteriorated dental health is one of them.
COVID-19 is known for affecting the respiratory system, but many studies and surveys have observed that various organs are also being affected by it. Many people affected by it complained of tooth loss, deteriorated gum health, and other infections.
However, it cannot be said that COVID-19 can be the sole reason behind deteriorated dental health. Bad oral health is the primary reason behind dental issues. Therefore, one cannot say deteriorated dental health is directly related to the novel virus.
Causes Of Dental Issues
It is not clear what is the exact cause of deteriorated dental health. One reason studies and surveys suggest is COVID-19’s effect on the nervous system. This affects the blood flow, disrupting the proper functioning of many organs in the body. Pieces of evidence show that COVID-19 holds the potential of disrupting the body’s blood flow. The novel virus can cause the formation of several clots resulting in patchy
blood flow.
This disruption causes problems in the transportation of blood and nutrients to the various parts of the body and damages many vital organs like the heart, brain, chest, and more. Similarly, jaws may also get affected as the rich supply of blood vessels to the oral cavity could be impacted by lower than the usual or compromised blood flow. However, this is a possible theory linking COVID-19 with dental issues.
Battle COVID With Dentistry
During these tough times, it is important to keep every part of the body in check. The first step to consuming food in the mouth, maintaining your oral hygiene is important. Doctors have been our heroes during the pandemic, be it medicine, gynecologist, or dentist. If you like everything about teeth, you can choose to become a dentist. But before you go ahead, here are some details of dentistry:
Dentistry is a medical branch concerned with the treatment of diseases and conditions affecting the oral cavity. While it started as a general medical branch, there are many types of dentistry that have now come up. You may be thinking that it is only teeth that a dentist has to look after, then why so many branches? Well, each branch of dentistry specializes in different parts of the mouth. Here’s a brief of each branch:
- Endodontist
An endodontist is majorly concerned with the dental pulp. They specialize in performing root canals and treating tooth pain.
- Prosthodontist
A prosthodontist is concerned with dental prostheses. They work toward treating and handling facial and dental issues including treating jaw structures and missing teeth.
- Orthodontist
Orthodontists are concerned with the diagnosis, correction, and prevention of irregularity in teeth and jaws. It also looks after facial growth and misaligned bite patterns. They work towards correcting existing dental issues and diagnosing any tentative issues in the future.
- General Dentist
A general dentist takes care of overall dental health. They do diagnoses, treatment, and manage everything from gum care, root canals, crowns, fillings, bridges, to preventive steps according to future assertions.
- Pediatric Dentist
A pediatric dentist is concerned with the overall oral health of children. They work on the comprehensive and therapeutic oral healthcare of children from birth till adolescence.
- Oral Pathologist
Oral pathologists are concerned with diseases related to oral health, including oral cancer. They conduct research, diagnose, examine and offer treatment of any oral health-related disease.
- Periodontist
A periodontist is concerned with periodontal diseases. They diagnose and treat gum diseases, and also provide preventive measures to eliminate any disease in the future.
If you are looking to look after overall oral health, general dentistry is the right choice for you. General dentists treat problems that are generally related to oral discomfort. General dentistry’s restorative procedures include the following:
- Extractions
- Filling
- Root canal
They also provide treatment for gingivitis (gum inflammation) and periodontitis (gum disease).
In general dentistry, preventive care consists of routine dental exams, professional dental cleaning, and oral cancer screening. A general dentist may offer you fluoride treatments and provide mouthguards and sealants.
Make A Career In Dentistry
If you are looking forward to making a career in dentistry, there are a lot of opportunities it holds for you! To become a dentist, you must have completed a Bachelor in Dental Surgery degree.
If you are looking for a dental college in Bhopal, you will find a lot of colleges offering a BDS degree. It is important to get a certification in it so that you know everything about dentistry in and out. One of the best colleges is Mansarovar Dental college.
The college offers you well-equipped laboratories for practicing the latest treatments in dental sciences. The lecture theater complex is also well-equipped, while the college uses various modes of teaching and learning activities like problem-based learning, fixed learning modules with an integrated way of teaching, and case-based studies.
The department offers a mentor-mentee program wherein a small group of students remains in direct contact with the mentors so that students can get individual attention and learn more.
The department also offers 250+ dental chairs comprising all necessary tools for practicals. The department offers all advanced treatments available in the field of dentistry.
The eligibility criteria for BDS is as follows:
- The candidate must have passed 10+2 with 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (general and OBC category)
- The candidate must have passed 10 +2 with a 40% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (SC /ST category, Madhya Pradesh Domiciles)
- The candidate must be 17 years+ on or before 31st December, of the year of admission to the course. Admissions are done through Government Counseling organized for NEET qualified candidates.
- The candidate must be NEET qualified to take admission in BDS or MDS course at Mansarovar Dental college.
- The candidate must complete 4 years’ duration of the course with one year of rotatory internship.
Conclusion
COVID-19 has impacted humankind and opened gates to a lot of learning for doctors. While COVID-19’s impact is known to be on the respiratory system, many pieces of evidence show that it also affects one’s oral health. Dentistry is the best option to treat and take preventive measures against COVID-19.
If you want to make a career in dentistry, you must have a degree in BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery). You can opt for a good dental college in Bhopal to pursue the above course, as it offers you all the required equipment and the best faculty. You can visit the website to learn more about the course.
