Guideline: Dealing with aerosol-borne pathogens in dental practices

Introduction: It is well known that droplets and aerosols may cause infections in dental staff. Therefore adequate protective measures against pathogens transmitted via droplets or aerosols from the patients' oral cavity are of great importance in dental practices. Due to close contact between dental professionals and patients' oral cavity and the formation of droplets, spray mist and aerosols during dental interventions, hygiene and precautionary measures are used in dental practice to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases. Methods: Relevant information regarding the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 pandemic was obtained from electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane library, Web of Science, using the following search terms: "SARS-CoV-2" OR "COVID-19", "airborne transmission", "mouth rinse", "dental", "aerosol" OR "aerosol generating procedures", "droplet", "FFP2" OR "FFP3" OR "N95" OR "mask". Latest reports and guidelines from major health authorities such as the Robert Koch-Institut (RKI), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), as well as major national dental associations and health regulatory bodies were also referred. Results: Protecting dental professionals and patients from infections while ensuring basic dental care for the population is of paramount importance. With that in mind, this guideline presents recommendations for dental prac-titioners during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, aerosols, dental practice, droplets, infections, prevention