With the changes that come with COVID-19, it’s easy to get out of your day to day routine. During this time, people should take care of their mental health, physical health, boost their immune system, and practice habits that promote good dental hygiene. Here are a few helpful tips to remember while under quarantine.
1. Brushing twice a day
Brushing twice a day is important because when you eat, leftover bits of food mix with the bacteria inside your mouth to form plaque. Although the development of plaque is a natural process, this can really damage your teeth and cause more problems in the long run.
Prevents Tartar build up
Tartar or dental calculus is plaque that has calcified on the teeth. Tartar traps stains, creates discoloration, and makes it harder to remove bacteria and plaque. This creates a bond that can only be removed by a dental professional and can be costly.
Prevents Gum Disease
Gum disease is essentially an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. By not brushing twice a day, you are more likely to have plaque start to form on the teeth which leads to gum disease. The symptoms of gum disease are things like painful chewing, sore gums, sensitive teeth, bad breath that won’t go away, etc. Gum disease is preventable by taking precautions and keeping up with basic dental hygiene.
2. Flossing
Most people wouldn’t say that flossing is at the top of their list of favorite things to do. For that reason, a lot of people choose not to floss, while others only floss occasionally. However, flossing daily is important to your oral health, and it only takes a few minutes a day to get it right. If you are wondering why flossing is so important, here’s what you need to know.
Prevent Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
While brushing your teeth can clean the majority of your tooth surfaces, it isn’t very effective at getting in between the teeth. That means bacteria and plaque may still exist in these spaces, even after a thorough brushing, leading to tooth decay and gum disease (gingivitis).
Dental floss is designed specifically to clean these hard to reach spaces, ensuring that plaque is removed from every part of your teeth.
Fight Bad Breath
No one wants bad breath. But, if dental plaque and food particles are able to remain trapped between your teeth, you are more likely to have a case of halitosis.
Flossing helps remove plaque and food from between the teeth, decreasing your chances of having bad breath by limiting the effects of odor-causing bacteria.
Maintain Your Health
Gum disease has been associated with increased risks of developing a range of dangerous health problems, including heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. Largely, this is because bacteria in the mouth can enter the body, especially if you experience bleeding gums.
By flossing, you can keep bacteria at bay, lowering your chance of developing one of these potentially deadly health conditions.
3. Maintain a healthy diet and keep alcohol intake low
By consistently eating fattening foods and drinking sugar filled cocktails, we put the health of our teeth at risk. Drinking things like coffee, and sodas can also take a toll on your dental hygiene. It is highly recommended to eat things like fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts. For healthier drink options, it is recommended to drink water, tea, and milk.
Limiting alcohol, coffee, and soda intake
Everyone loves to have a drink from time to time but making this a prominent part of your lifestyle can put your teeth at risk. Drinking a lot of alcohol can result in taking in more sugar and acidity depending on your drink of choice. This is not great for your teeth but having a drink in moderation is okay! It is also highly recommended to limit coffee intake, as it leads to yellowing of the teeth.
Monitoring Diet
Your diet greatly impacts the health of your teeth! Your teeth work hard to break down the different kinds of foods we eat. By eating things like fish, nuts, fruits, yogurts, and cheese, it makes this easier and better for your teeth as well as your overall health.
Overall, being in quarantine is a weird time for everyone. Keeping up with your dental hygiene is a crucial part to getting through this. Taking care of your teeth is so important for the long term! By neglecting practicing good dental hygiene, it can cause problems and be costly to your wallet. Keeping up with basic dental hygiene is a good rule of thumb to follow year around. Stay safe and stay positive!
Call our Perryville Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.