Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
The introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine has given many people hope. While a return to “normal” is long overdue, health experts continue urging everyone to maintain a safe distance, avoid crowds, and continue wearing a mask in public to help prevent catching or spreading the coronavirus. Whether you’ve recently gotten the COVID vaccine or are gearing up for your first dose, here’s what to know about COVID vaccine side effects and your planned trip to your Okemos dentist.
COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects
Vaccine side effects are rare and usually mild. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you could experience pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site and fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, or nausea within one to three days of receiving the vaccine. If you experience any of these symptoms and they interfere with your ability to function, speak with your doctor about taking over-the-counter medicine to curb these symptoms. However, the CDC recommends against taking these medications before getting vaccinated to prevent side effects. Additionally, the CDC states that vaccine side effects may be more intense and likely to occur after the second dose. If you have any questions or concerns about COVID vaccine side effects, you should speak with your doctor.
Is it COVID vaccine side effects or something else?
It may be difficult to tell initially whether your symptoms are simply vaccine side effects or something worse like an illness. However, if you just received your first or second vaccine dose, and experience symptoms associated with getting vaccinated, it’s likely the cause of your symptoms. It is recommended that you monitor your symptoms and for additional symptoms to develop. If your symptoms worsen after three days, you could be sick with a cold or another bacterial or viral illness. If you have a dentist appointment scheduled during this time, it is best to reschedule just to be safe. While what you feel could be vaccine-related, it might not be. In an effort to protect those in public and at your dentist’s office in Okemos, it’s better to stay home and wait to see the dentist until your symptoms subside or receive a negative COVID test.
If you have a vaccine appointment scheduled, it would be a good idea to schedule doctor appointments, including dental appointments, until at least a few days after receiving your vaccine, if possible and as long as it’s safe to do so. However, if you experience a dental emergency in Okemos or get a raging toothache in East Lansing during this time, please contact Tenaglia Smiles, and we can arrange care for you. It’s best not to ignore a toothache as dental pain usually worsens and will not improve on its own.
Family Dentist in Okemos
Deciding whether to get the COVID vaccine is an individual choice. Keep in mind that the vaccine may cause mild side effects, and we encourage you to discuss these risks with your doctor. As a reminder, Dr. Tenaglia and the staff at Tenaglia Smiles take infectious disease protocol seriously as we continue following state and local guidelines for disinfecting and sterilization. We want to assure our patients that we maintain a safe and clean practice and welcome patients for care. If you’d like to learn more about our cleaning protocols or would like to schedule an appointment, please call Tenaglia Smiles at (517) 347-6733.