Face Shields: Do We Need Them?

The last few months have brought many changes on how the world operates. Dental offices are no exception. In our office, we wear extra gear, such as wearing mask at all times, disposable jackets, hair bouffant cap, gloves and etc.

According to a recent article in the The Wall Street Journal: “With face shields a growing part of hospital protocol, some infectious disease doctors are calling for greater adoption outside the medical setting.”

You may wonder, how does a face shield offer protection from COVID-19? Let’s understand how one gets infected with COVID-19. This virus spreads through droplets that are released into the air from an infectious person when they cough, sneeze or talk. The mouth, nose and the eyes are potential areas of how the virus can get into your system. Masks protect your mouth and nose, but what about the eyes?

According to the vice president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and an infectious disease physician Dr. Daniel McQuillen, “If someone coughs and it catches your eyes, you are going to get the infection.” This is where a face shield comes into play. Unlike masks, face shields protect not only the mouth and nose but your eyes as well.

Face shields cover the face more than a mask, so droplets are less likely to land near the eyes, nose or mouth. Though scientists haven’t ruled the face shield as being superior to masks, there are some benefits, for example:

1. Easier to wear for prolonged periods of time.

2. You’re least likely to touch your face

3. There’s more coverage to the face

4. Reusable

5. Easy to clean

Another question arises: should one wear a mask under the face shield? Most scientist and doctors are split in deciding what the correct answer is for this question. Some believe that the face shield is enough to prevent infection. Others believe that the face shield has its cons, such as the potential of droplets going in from the sides. In certain settings, some believe that it’s always a good idea to take extra precaution. In our office, we’ve decided to be extra cautious and just wear the mask under the face shield.

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