Coronavirus And Your Dental Care
We are experiencing a turbulent and scary time as a global society. The development of the novel coronavirus (also known as covid-19) has upended many lives and changed others forever. Dental care can sometimes take a back seat in the medical community and in cases like this rightfully so. However, as we have noted many times before on this blog, your dental health is intimately connected to your overall health and immune system. A dental office might be one of the safest places to be during this crisis. On a normal day, dentists follow sanitary and disinfection protocols that match what we are recommending now for everyone else. Maintaining regular dental visits will bring normalcy to our lives in a time when things may not feel so normal.
Dental Health And The Coronavirus
-Maintain Regular Dental Hygiene At Home. Doubly important now to keep our immune systems working properly and keep oral bacteria at bay. Periodontal disease causes an immune response in our bodies due to reaction with bacteria and dental plaque. This will weaken our immune response but will also affect the cardiovascular system which can delay healing. This should include brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, along with listerine rinsing. Following completion of your at home regimen, wipe down the sink and faucet with bleach wipes to ensure you do not pass anything along to family members.
– Call Your Dentist If You Have Symptoms Of The Coronavirus. With our healthcare system overloaded, your dentist can be an educated person to discuss what may or may not be going on with your health. For many, first signs of any symptoms and they may panic. Main coronavirus symptoms include fever, difficulty breathing, and a dry cough. Be aware of the differences between influenza and even seasonal allergies. Generally a fever above 101 is cause for concern for coronavirus.
-Maintain Regular Dental Visits. If healthy and asymptomatic, it is recommended to continue treatment to stay healthy and oral disease free. This is especially important for dental hygiene visits and to receive regular examinations to avoid dental emergencies.
-Take Daily Vitamins and Extra Vitamin C. We tend to eat more comfort foods and carbohydrates during times of crisis. This can leave us without recieving the proper nutrition to keep up our health and immune systems in check. This can help ward off disease.
–Hand Washing Is More Important Than Ever. We have bad habits of touching our faces hundreds of times per day. If we keep our hands clean we will limit chances of passing any viruses or bacteria to ourselves. Proper hand washing techniques include using soap and hot water and for at least 20 seconds.
-Call Dentist Ahead. If you are nervous about sitting in a waiting room call ahead and let the dental staff know you are waiting in your car. The staff will call you when it is time to come in for your appointment. We try to keep everyone moving quickly but sometimes it is unavoidable to have people waiting in the waiting room even if it is just for a few minutes.
Coronavirus And Dentistry Conclusion
As previously mentioned this is a scary time for all of us as a society. We will get through this and we will try to maintain some level of normalcy. Our office is always available for any questions you might have. If you are feeling ill or have been out of the country recently please call ahead and let us know, so we can make a determination if we need to reschedule your appointment for the safety of our staff as well as other patients.
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