4 Dental Hygiene Tips During The Pandemic

When the Covid-19pandemic broke out, it seemed that the focus of many individuals and families as concerns their health was to do whatever they could to protect themselves from the coronavirus. While this is necessary, this doesn’t mean you should be negligent about all other facets of your health. One of these is your dental hygiene. Your oral health, maintained through good dental hygiene, is necessary for your overall well-being and health, too.

However, a challenge faced during the pandemic is that patient visits to the dentist have lessened and many dental clinics have ceased operations, leaving you to look after your own oral health. So to help you out during this pandemic, here are four important dental hygiene tips to abide by while waiting for normalcy to be restored. But if you live in a place where dental clinics are already open, try to visit your dentist if you can. So if you live in Rhodes and surrounding areas, for example, contact your dentist in Rhodes for your semi-annual checkup.

1. Brush Your Teeth Regularly

Brushing your teeth regularly may seem a repetitive and all-too-familiar piece of advice, but its importance can’t be underscored enough. Brushing your teeth is still one of the best ways to prevent the onset of oral diseases. It prevents the buildup of plaque from food stuck in your mouth, which could eventually lead to dental caries or cavities. This buildup of plaque and cavities mean there’s bacteria stuck in your mouth, and this could be very bad for your health generally when not addressed.

As small as your mouth and teeth may be in relation to the other parts of your body, they could play a significant role in keeping your immune system well. This is because the buildup of bacteria in your body may weaken your entire immune system.

Ideally, brushing your teeth should be done after every meal or three times a day. Also, make sure you’re using toothpaste that contains fluoride. Other important points to remember when brushing your teeth are the following:

• Moisturize your toothbrush first with a little water before putting in the toothpaste. For kids, the toothpaste amount could be as small as a grain of rice or bean. For adults, it could be peasized.
• Make sure to pay close attention to the chewing surfaces when brushing your teeth as these are those that need the most attention.
• Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well.

2. Clean And Disinfect Your Toothbrush

Keeping your toothbrush clean and disinfected is now more important than ever. The virus this pandemic is battling could live on surfaces for up to a couple of days. Your toothbrush isn’t exempt from this.

A good way to disinfect your toothbrush is to soak it in 0.5% hydrogen peroxide for 15 minutes. Just be sure, too, to thoroughly wash your toothbrush before using it. Apart from using 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, here are other ways for you to clean your toothbrush:

• Rinse or boil your toothbrush in hot water, except if you’re using an electric toothbrush.
• Change your toothbrush, or the brush heads, when the tips start to discolor or get frayed.
• Make sure your bathroom has good ventilation and an open window for your toothbrush to air dry.
• Store your toothbrush in an upright position to allow it to air dry, which may also help kill and prevent the buildup of bacteria and viruses.

3. Avoid Junk And Sugary Foods

Avoiding junk and sugary foods applies to adults and children alike. Adhering to this discipline doesn’t just keep your oral health good, but it could also ensure you’re healthy overall. Rather than indulging in junk and sugary foods, opt for fruit and vegetables. These are better for your teeth as they don’t have the nasty sugars that contribute to dental caries. Also, they’re packed with vitamins and nutrients to keep your immune system healthy.

During this pandemic, your first line of defense against the virus is having a healthy immune system. Opting for healthy fruit and vegetables rather than junk and sugary foods would aid in maintaining a strong immune system that could help battle the virus.

But for families with young children who are also in lockdown, this may often be easier said than done. Once in a while, the kids would also need to receive a treat. You could give them sweets from time to time, but remember to brush their teeth right after.And if possible, let them gargle with salt and water.

4. Use Antibacterial Mouthwash And Floss Daily

If you think brushing your teeth regularly is enough, this may not be the case. You’d still have to supplement it with a good antibacterial mouthwash, which could help rinse your mouth off any bacteria that may settle in.

Also, make it a point to floss daily. No matter how good the cleaning features of your toothbrush may be, there could still be hard-to-reach areas you’d need to tackle to keep your teeth healthy. This you can address by flossing your teeth.

Using floss and mouthwash gives could you that added antibacterial protection to keep your oral health well. As your mouth’s health contributes to your overall health, you can ensure your body is in its top shape to keep it safe and immune from the virus.

Conclusion

While a regular visit to the dentist is highly recommended, this doesn’t mean you should leave the entire responsibility of your dental care to them. Especially during this pandemic, as you take good care of your health, pay close attention to your dental hygiene, too. If dental clinics are already open in your area, try to book an appointment. The semi-annual dental cleaning and check are still called for. But be sure to entrust your oral care not just to a good dentist but also to one who’s uptodate with the latest safety standards in place against the virus.