Right now, COVID-19 is limiting the ability of dentists everywhere to have interaction with their patients. This has led to a drop in the number of people being able to attend the dentist, which has compromised their oral health as a result. It’s so important that you keep on top of your dental care even during a pandemic, and the good thing is that there is plenty that you could be doing at home.
We’re socially distant, washing our hands, and wearing masks, so it’s important that we do what we can to keep maintaining our oral health during COVID, too. It’s a significant part of your overall health, and as there is increasing evidence to support the detection of Coronavirus within saliva, keeping your mouth healthy is a must! So, what could you be doing to maintain your oral health during COVID-19?
- You should be brushing your teeth twice a day regardless of COVID, but now more than ever, 2 minutes of brushing morning and night with a fluoridated toothpaste is a must. If you can fit in a third brushing, go for it but don’t brush too hard. You want to protect your gums, not scrub them away!
- Never rinse after brushing; spit the excess. If you rinse, you end up rinsing the fluoridated protection you started out with!
- Use floss to clean the debris and bacteria between your teeth and gums. The food here can affect your gum health, and you want to avoid this!
- Give it around 45 minutes before you brush after you eat: you want to give the saliva time to do its job.
- Never forget to brush your tongue! It’s a muscle and when it’s not clean, can give off smells you don’t want to contend with. Use a tongue scraper or toothbrush to do this and do it after you brush.
- Keep an eye on your gums. Are they bleeding? Are they sore? If you keep a watchful eye on your gums, you can immediately catch any issues!
- Stay hydrated! You need to keep your saliva active and water is key for this. Your oral tissues remain healthy and moist when you stay hydrated, and you can be more aware of this as you feel that dryness in your mouth.
- Always use straws when consuming carbonated drinks. You risk acid wear and over-sensitivity, which will have a direct effect on your teeth and is absolutely not ideal.
- Where possible, try to avoid super sweet snacks throughout the day. Not only are they bad for your waistline in excess, but they will also affect the tissues in your mouth, leading to unhealthy teeth.
- If you have dentures, caring for them every day is important, as is cleaning them after each meal.
Dental care should always be a priority for you and despite the lack of evidence supporting oral health and COVID-19, it’s of utmost importance to have good dental health no matter what’s going on with the world. It may be a while before you get back into your dentist’s office so take the time to look after your health properly and you will feel so much better within yourself.
