Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 62, Issue 2, March–April 2017, Page 84
Dental Abstracts

Hands On
Dentists delivering first aid

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.denabs.2016.09.024Get rights and content

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Background

First aid can mean anything from comfort after an incident to treatment of an illness or injury to intervention in a life-threatening emergency. Dentists need to be prepared to provide the needed first aid in various circumstances. They should understand the priorities and responsibilities associated with first aid and know what steps to take for different types of situations.

Priorities and Responsibilities

Those who first respond to a situation should call for an ambulance as appropriate, maintain the safety of those concerned, and provide support for the casualty in terms of managing his or her airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. Every effort should be made to stabilize and improve the patient’s condition and keep him or her from deteriorating, while providing reassurance and comfort.

The provider should quickly assess the situation for safety, ensure help has been summoned,

Interventions

After ensuring that the casualty can be safely approached, the provider should assess airway, breathing, circulation, disability, and exposure. A secondary survey is done once the individual is out of danger and includes collecting a history, doing a visual inventory, noting the mechanism of injury and the signs and symptoms produced, and generally assessing the casualty from head to toe. Definitive care is delivered as appropriate.

Blood and other body fluids can be contaminated, so the

Discussion

Dentists may be called upon to provide basic first aid. This can be as simple as reassurance but may involve life-saving or sustaining treatment.

Clinical Significance

The most important thing that the dentist can do is remain calm and focused in an emergency. Knowing what steps to take can increase the level of confidence and help in maintaining a composed demeanor. Instituting the measures outlined may help to save lives.

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Jevon P: First aid in the dental practice: An overview. Br Dent J 220:657-659, 2016

Reprints available from P Jevon; e-mail: [email protected]

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