Modern Day Smiles Highlights How You Can Take Care of Your Oral Health During COVID-19

With everything thing that is going on with the COVID-19 pandemic, your oral health may not be a priority at the moment. From social distancing, eating lots of junk food, to not being able to visit your dentist, this is a time where you need to be extra careful about your oral health. Oral care should be a priority and it isn't hard to maintain good oral health.

It is as simple as maintaining good oral hygiene. Which of course starts with brushing twice a day and flossing at least once. Our dental specialists suggest that if you haven't started using electrical toothbrush yet, you should consider making the switch now. It makes the whole process slightly easier and the rotations on the brush clean the teeth and gums better. For those that don't like to floss, you can consider Waterpik, which uses a stream of water to target dislodge and get rid of food particles left between your teeth.

Mouthwash can also help fight plaque and gingivitis. But make sure you get a non-alcohol based mouthwash and use it twice a day. Mouthwash with alcohol can disrupt your oral microbiome, which can potentially lead to oral problems. Besides, good oral hygiene, you need to make sure of the following to ensure good oral health:

Keep a healthy diet

During such a time of uncertainty, most people will have trouble controlling their diet. Snacking on junk food and drinking lots of sugary drinks or alcohol is a way to cope with the current situation. After all, consuming junk food is a way many deal with stress or combat boredom.

Starchy and sugary foods are a hazard for your tooth enamel. Remember that bacteria consume sugar and starch and recreate acid causing plaque, slowly deteriorating the enamel. The first step to eating healthy is carefully vetting what you eat. Make sure you cut off items that are non-fiber carbohydrates as they serve as straight sugar for bacteria to consume.

You also want to stay clear of food with hard surfaces. With dental clinics being closed, you do not want to risk damaging a filling or potentially cracking a tooth. So try not to have items such as peanut brittle, sticky candy, or chew on ice for fun.

Drink lots of water

Make sure you stay hydrated throughout the day. While being stuck at home, most individuals don't drink enough water. Ideally, you want to drink around 8 glasses of water in a day. Staying hydrated is important for oral health as water helps wash down bacteria in the mouth and ensures that saliva keeps flowing in your mouth. Saliva is important to combat plaque buildup.

Disinfect your toothbrush

As you are aware, COVID-19 is transmitted through individuals getting exposed to droplets from someone who is already exposed to it. So if someone with the virus sneezes or coughs on you and the droplets and it is inhaled through the mouth or nose. You put your toothbrush in your mouth on a daily basis, if the virus somehow got on your toothbrush then the possibility of you being infected is very high. So if you suspect in any way that the virus is present in your home, you need to disinfect your toothbrush before using it.

Studies have shown that Coronavirus can be present in fecal matter. Most bathrooms have the toothbrush not too far from the toilet. When the toilet is flushed, it creates an aerosol spray effect which can lead to the virus getting on to the brush. You may also want to consider moving your toiletries far from the toilet to avoid the virus getting on to them.

With the healthcare system already in stress, you need to take as many preventative measures as you can and maintain good oral hygiene to combat oral problems during COVID-19. But of course, if you face any dental emergency and need to be treated, feel free to contact our dental experts. Through telemedicine, we provide consultation and can assist with your problem. We are here to serve you and ensure you get the dental services you need.

Modern Day Smiles Dentistry
Address: 2663 1st Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Phone: (727) 322-0505
Website: https://www.moderndaysmiles.com/about/st-petersburg-fl-dental-office

Modern Day Smiles St. Petersburg is among the best dental clinics in Florida. We have been providing all types of oral health services with premium quality. Our highly experienced dentists integrate the latest technology in treatments to make patients as comfortable as possible.

This release was published on openPR.