As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to consume our thoughts and impact our world, having good oral hygiene may not be on the front of your minds. Dental offices nationwide are limited to only emergency procedures. Over the past several weeks many of you have had your recall visits cancelled. With delays in having your teeth cleaned and checked, your oral health may be declining without you knowing it.
What simple things can you do to take good care of your mouth? Before beginning any oral health care, be sure to wash your hands diligently for at least 20 seconds. As always, we recommend brushing your teeth 2-3 times daily for two minutes and flossing them thoroughly once per day. If you have not already, make the switch to an electric toothbrush. Studies show an electric brush is more effective than a manual brush. If possible, we recommend changing out the brush head on your electric brush or replacing your manual toothbrush every 2-3 months during the pandemic instead of the usual 3-6 months.
During a time when we are trying to determine what is essential, what about mouthwash? Is it something we need or a luxury we can do without? If you are using a mouthwash like Scope to temporarily freshen your breath, you may be able to do without. (Of course, you may want to ask your spouse or loved ones. Ha!) However, if you have a history of getting cavities easily or gum disease, you should be using a mouthwash daily as part of your oral hygiene routine. For fighting cavities, you can use an over the counter rinse such as ACT or a prescription strength weekly fluoride rinse. Prevident is a prescription strength fluoride rinse that is available in our office. As for keeping gum disease under control, Listerine is excellent and widely available. PerioMed is also an excellent rinse but is available by prescription only.
As we all continue to social distance, wash hands, and take other steps to keep ourselves healthy and our immune systems strong, do not neglect the health of your mouth. It is such an important part of the overall health of your body. We look forward to the time when we can care for your smiles again soon. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other!
David Kizer, D.D.S.
Follow our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook to find information about when we will be able to provide non-urgent dental care. Please call the office at (901) 767-4882 if you have an urgent dental concern.
