One of the most important things to do during a pandemic is to practice healthy habits. Upkeeping healthy habits will keep you and your family out of the doctor’s office, which is a hotspot at the moment. There are many ways to keep yourself healthy during this time at home. Not only should you focus on your physical health, but your oral health as well. Your oral has a direct impact on your physical health, therefore making it necessary to maintain. Here are a few ways to practice good oral hygiene during COVID-19.
Hand Washing
Not only is handwashing good for your physical health, but your oral health too. Think of how many times you use your hands during the day to touch a variety of things. If you floss every night and don’t wash your hands before, you are essentially exposing yourself to more germs. The mouth is one of the largest entryways for bacteria and viruses to enter your body. If you are brushing or flossing your teeth with dirty hands, the likelihood of illness increases! This is so important to practice now due to the speed in which COVID-19 spreads.
Oral Hygiene
One of the best ways to stay out of the dentist’s office is to practice good hygiene. This means flossing once a day and brushing your teeth twice daily. You can also use mouth wash when you finish brushing your teeth. If you have young children, this is a great time to practice and teach oral hygiene! Making sure your children are brushing their teeth will significantly decrease the likelihood of cavities, one main reason to visit the dentist. By taking care of ourselves, we are also taking care of our healthcare workers!
Immune System
Our oral health has a direct correlation to our immune system. If our mouths are healthy, our immune systems have a higher chance of staying healthy. According to Mayo Clinic, a few diseases oral health can contribute to include cardiovascular disease, pneumonia, diabetes, and osteoporosis. A weak immune system is not something you want during a pandemic. The good news is by practicing good oral hygiene; you are one step closer to protecting your immune system!
At Westmoreland Dental, we realize emergencies can happen. Due to COVID-19, we have made a few updates at the office to ensure our safety and our patients too. For more specific updates, please visit our most recent blog here. If you experience a dental emergency, call our office immediately at (423) 282-2844. You can find more information on the emergency services we can provide online here.