We’ve been in uncertain circumstances for quite some time due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Many people have been working from home for quite some months, staying indoors if they're at high risk of catching the virus and generally change our lifestyle completely to ensure the virus doesn’t spread further.
Whilst dentists are operating at the moment as they’re considered an essential business to keep open, some of us may still be wary about returning to our local dentist. This makes looking after your teeth at home more important than ever before you consider it safe to return. A poor routine at home could lead to several health problems in the future. Here are some tips to keep up with your oral hygiene during these times.
Brush your teeth at least twice a day
Brushing your teeth at least twice a week should be a routine that you have. But if you don’t, this is highly recommended. Your mouth is likely to engage with plenty of food and drinks throughout the day. If you only brush your teeth in the mornings, whilst they’ll be protected from the foods you have, by night the excess food will linger around your mouth. This can cause build-up of decay and further health problems in the future.
One unfortunate downside of brushing is that it’s not able to cover the whole area of your mouth. There are some instances where foods can get in awkward places where the brush can’t get to. This is why it’s important to use floss to get into those areas where food may linger so your mouth can benefit from having a great and wonderful smile.
It can be rather tempting to have a little more alcohol than normal whilst in lockdown. With no pubs and bars available for us to pop out for a drink or two, we’re resulting in stocking up our own shelves with our favourite beverages.
However, consuming fizzy drinks daily can have an extremely negative impact on your teeth as acid flows through your mouth. It can even increase your chances of developing oral cancer, so try to keep it at a minimum if possible. Instead, opt for water or drinks that are sugar-free.
Now that many of us are working from home, we may be enticed to eat and drink a lot more than we normally do in our normal working day. If you can avoid snacks that could be damaging for teeth and opt for teeth-friendly snacks such as vegetable sticks and fruit.
As you’re unable to see your local dentist at the moment or have limited choice in terms of the treatments that you can receive, it’s now more important than ever to keep your oral health intact. Treatments such as All on 4 dental implants will be considered the type of treatment where choices will be limited, so keep this in mind during lockdown.
Natalie Wilson is a freelance health and wellness writer. She loves researching and writing about new health trends and topics, as well as keeping up to date with the latest health news. When not writing, you can find her taking long walks in the countryside with her dog or browsing her nearest bookstore. You can connect with her on Twitter @NatWilson976.