Safe To See A Dentist? Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers Your Coronavirus Questions
BOSTON (CBS) – Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your coronavirus-related medical questions. If you have a question for Dr. Mallika, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.
A number of viewers want to know whether it's safe to see a dentist at this time.
Most practices are taking extra precautions, including disinfecting between patients, wearing PPE and using more suction to reduce the droplets released into the air. You can call your dentist to find out what they're protocols are following and ask whether you should be seen now for a cleaning or a crown, for example.
I know a lot of people in the United States have COVID-19, but you never hear about how many people have recovered. Why is that? - Matt
States report when people are diagnosed with coronavirus but don't have to report when a patient has recovered, and the definition of recovery varies depending on where you are. For example, you could be considered recovered when you no longer have symptoms, or when you're no longer contagious, or when you have a negative test, or when you no longer need to be in the hospital.
Are the portable UV light sanitizers advertised to kill the coronavirus effective and worth buying? - Noreen and Judy
Ultraviolet light can kill germs, including the coronavirus, and is being studied as a way to sanitize public spaces, like airports, hospitals and shopping malls. But experts say many devices being marketed to the public have not been thoroughly tested, may not be effective and could be potentially harmful to the skin and eyes.
My sister tested positive for COVID-19 in April. She tested negative when she left the hospital but just tested positive again. Her doctor says she is no longer contagious. Is that true? - Sherry
This is seen from time to time. The test may still be picking up the presence of the viral particles, but that does not necessarily mean that she is still infectious. It's also not clear whether people can become reinfected with the coronavirus within just a few months of having it. I would follow her doctor's advice since they know her case well.
