TOLEDO, Ohio — When talking about opening up Ohio, the governor strongly suggested everyone wear a mask in public.
This has dental hygienists worried, because people can't wear masks in the dentist chair.
"It's absolutely scary. I don't want to bring this home to my children, my husband. I can't see my mom because she has diabetes and she's 65," a local dental hygienist said.
Top concerns from local hygienists include breathing in aerosolized saliva, not having enough personal protective equipment, or PPE, to be safe, and treating patients who have the virus but aren't showing symptoms, possibly exposing others.
"I feel like the general public doesn't understand the kind of bacteria we create and the kinds of things we're stirring up as we are cleaning their teeth," a local dental hygienist said.
That "stirring up" process also puts droplets in the air - and the hygienists I spoke with are worried that could mean sending the virus airborne where it could infect others in the office.
"If we're polishing teeth, we're creating aerosols; if we want to do a proper cleaning, we have to use an ultrasonic scaler which creates even more aerosols," a local dental hygienist said.
So, PPE is important. Hygienists don't normally have to wear N95 masks, and now they're trying to figure out how they can find them.
"It's just the unknown of if we can get them because it's what all the hospitals are still trying to get access to as well," a local dental hygienist said.
Patients can't wear masks while being treated. Overall, they're worried to tell people it's safe to come into the dentist's office.
"According to the CDC right now, dental should still be emergency only. So, I think a lot of us aren't really sure if our state board can overrun the CDC," a local dental hygienist said.