How To Maintain Your Oral Health During COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 in different parts of the world has prompted nations to close their borders and require their citizens to stay at home. This pandemic is also the reason why businesses, such as your local dental clinics, are closed. There is physical contact between dentists and their patients, increasing their risk of being infected by the virus.

But, just because you won’t be able to see dentists in Roanoke and other parts of the world, this doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to maintain your oral health. Even if you are just staying at home, there are simple and effective ways for you to maintain your oral health, such as the following:

1. Practice Mindfulness

It’s common for everyone to feel bored while quarantined at home Because most establishments are closed and everyone is required to stay at home, people would often end up developing habits that can be harmful to their teeth and gums--you might be one of these folks.

Jaw clenching, for example, is a common reaction to stress. Some people might consider this habit as something that’s innate to them, to the point where they can no longer notice that they’re actually doing it. Over time, jaw clenching can result in loss of tooth structure, gum recession, shortening of teeth, and tooth sensitivity. The longer you have been practicing jaw clenching, the more severe its effects can be to your oral health.

One of the easiest ways for you to maintain your oral health during this pandemic is to practice mindfulness. This means that you should pay attention to any habits that you think are harmless because, more often than not, these can cause irreversible damage to your mouth.

2. Eat A Healthy Diet

The foods you consume regularly can also affect your oral health. Consuming excessive amounts of sugary, sticky, and citrus foods and drinks can make your teeth weak and make them susceptible to plaques. The same is also true for sodas, hard candies, coffees, and potato chips.

Be wary about the foods you eat and always practice moderation. Aside from making sure that your diet is not solely filled with the items mentioned above, you should also consume more foods and drinks that contain the following:

• Calcium: Cheese and yogurt are packed with calcium that can promote strong teeth and bones. You can also get calcium from eating tofu and drinking fortified soy drinks.
• Phosphorus: Phosphorus is an essential building block to better oral health because it can keep your teeth strong. Some of the most common foods that naturally contain phosphorus are beans, nuts, dairy, lean meats, and eggs.
• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, broccoli, and spinach are great sources of vitamin C, which can promote gum health.

3. Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene

One of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to maintaining your oral health is to make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice every day. Ideally, you should brush your teeth the moment you wake up in the morning, and right before you go to sleep. You should brush your teeth for around two minutes and ensure that every tooth surface is cleaned properly.

You can use the timer on your smartphone to determine the amount of time you spend brushing your teeth.

4. Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly

Your toothbrush is one of the most essential tools that can help you take care of your oral health. The quality of your toothbrush can make or break the cleanliness and health of your mouth, which is why you should replace it regularly. Regardless of how functional you think your toothbrush is, you should still replace it every two to three months.

Replacing your toothbrush regularly will give you peace of mind, knowing that you’re using something that can actually clean your mouth, and not some worn out tool that could possibly transmit germs to your healthy mouth. Using the latter can put you at a higher risk of dental problems and oral infections.

5. Flossing Is Always A Must

A lot of people think that merely brushing their teeth is enough to maintain their oral health. However, this isn’t always true because plaque can get stuck in your teeth, causing countless dental problems, such as toothache and tooth decay. This is especially true for people who are wearing dental braces.

Make sure that this doesn’t happen to you during the COVID-19 crisis by flossing as regularly as possible. Dental floss is one of the easiest and most effective ways for you to clean your teeth and remove any food particles that got stuck in between your teeth.

6.       Stay Hydrated

Your body highly needs water to function properly and ward off diseases, but are you aware that your oral health also requires the same?  For you to maintain your oral health, you need to stay hydrated all the time to ensure that your body produces enough saliva.

Saliva is crucial to your oral health because it acts as a protective fluid that can help your mouth maintain its natural pH levels and wash away excess food particles, bacteria, and old skin cells. Saliva also provides the necessary minerals to protect your teeth, especially from the risk of decay.

7. Close The Toilet Lid Before Flushing

If you store your toothbrush in your bathroom, make sure that you close the toilet lid before you flush. This is a very important tip because every time you flush, some of the sprays will fly out of the toilet and, then, land on the bristles of your toothbrush. In fact, there have been studies suggesting that the virus from fecal matter in the bathroom can land on your toothbrush.

Consistency Is Key

If you truly want to maintain your oral health during the COVID-19 crisis, you should remain consistent with your efforts. Following the tips from this article for a couple of days only won’t provide the best results. You should incorporate all of these into your daily routine for you to enjoy a healthy mouth even during these trying times!