For the past couple of months, you’ve been told over and over again the importance of practicing good hygiene in an effort to slow the spread of Coronavirus (also called COVID-19). Although you should certainly follow CDC guidelines by staying home, washing your hands, and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, there’s one area that has been largely overlooked. This highly contagious infection enters the body through the mouth or nose, which means that it is particularly imperative to take care of your oral health during this time. Even though you aren’t able to visit your dentist in Lincoln for your dental checkup and cleaning right now, you can do your part with these five at-home care tips to protect yourself and your family.
Brush and Floss Like Normal
Even if you are working from home and never leave the premises, you need to keep up your usual oral hygiene routine. Brushing twice and flossing once every day helps to control the bacteria in your mouth, which can help you fight off infections. You may also want to consider anti-bacterial mouthwash for extra protection.
Wash Your Hands Before Brushing and Flossing
Before you put your hands anywhere near your face, be sure to wash them. From touching door handles and other common surfaces, you may have picked up traces of COVID-19 or another virus that can easily enter your system as you brush your teeth. However, if you take an extra 20 seconds to thoroughly wash your hands, you can reduce the risk of becoming infected.
Disinfect Your Toothbrush
In addition to running your toothbrush through hot water after each use, it is a good idea to disinfect it about once a week. You can do this by submerging the toothbrush in boiling water for about 5 minutes, soaking it in 70 percent alcohol solution or a bleach solution, or putting it in the dishwasher for a full cycle.
Keep Your Distance
COVID-19, like many other viral infections, is transferred via droplets that originate in the mouth that enter the air and come into contact with another human. While you’re out at the grocery store, you stay removed from those around you, just in case they sneeze or cough in your direction. But especially while you brush or floss your teeth, maintaining a safe distance from others (about six feet) can ensure that you or they do not become exposed to infectious oral droplets.
Don’t Share
You likely already know that you shouldn’t share toothbrushes with another person, even a family member, but even sharing the same tube of toothpaste can expose you to the virus. Each person should have their own toothpaste and floss and ideally even their own toothbrush holder to prevent the heads from accidentally touching.
With some extra precautions and smart adjustments to your daily routine, you can be more likely to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy through this pandemic. Although your dentist will not be available in the near future for checkups and cleanings, you need to know that you can always turn to them if you have a dental emergency, like a toothache or an oral injury. But hopefully, with your daily efforts, you can stay in good oral health throughout these capricious times.
About the Practice
With six locations throughout the Lincoln area, Williamsburg Dental is never too far away from home. Although we are closed due to COVID-19, we are still available to take care of emergency patients. If this is the case for you, contact us by calling (402) 420-2222 or clicking here, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours to resolve the problem. Feel free to contact us if you have any dental health questions before we reopen in the future.