With COVID-19, many dental offices have been following ADA recommendations and only treating emergency dental cases. This means that appointments for things like regular checkups and cleanings have been postponed or canceled. What does it mean if you had one of those appointments? Barataria Dental, a dentist in Marrero, LA, offers some advice.
Get Your Appointment Rescheduled
Just because it isn’t an emergency doesn’t mean it’s not important. Getting your bi-annual checkup and cleaning is important for your oral health. You may have already been contacted by our office to get your appointment rescheduled. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool to get set up for the future.
Keep Up an Oral Healthcare Routine at Home
Especially if you’re missing a deep cleaning, it’s important to ensure that you’re keeping up with oral health at home. We know it can be difficult to remember everything during these trying times. Your entire daily routine has been upended. You may be adjusting to working from home or helping your children stay entertained throughout the day. However, it’s essential that you keep up with brushing and flossing to avoid gum disease and tooth decay.
You should be brushing and flossing at least twice a day. Set an alarm or reminder on your phone for mornings and evenings. This helps ensure you’re getting it done at least twice a day and can help remind the rest of your household as well. Brushing your teeth more isn’t a bad thing, either. If it helps for your memory, brush and floss after every meal. This also helps get food particles out of your teeth ASAP.
Watch What You’re Consuming
It’s unrealistic to expect to keep up with a fully healthy and balanced diet during this time. Grocery stores have limited hours and are having trouble keeping certain foods on the shelves. Many of us are turning to comfort foods with this crisis, which aren’t often the healthiest. However, there are some simple things you can do with your diet to help your oral health.
First, try to avoid consuming a lot of sugar. Sugar is one of the worst things for your teeth. It’s the main food source of harmful oral bacteria that then release an acidic byproduct. This byproduct eats through the enamel on your teeth and causes problems with tooth decay, leading to a need for dental fillings or root canals.
In addition, water should be the main thing you’re drinking. It doesn’t contain any hidden sugars or additives. In fact, if it’s tap water, there’s a solid chance it’s fortified with fluoride. This helps strengthen your tooth enamel. Even if it isn’t, water is still the best choice for your oral health. It’s the best at keeping your mouth hydrated, assisting in rinsing sugar and food particles away from your smile.
Your Dentist in Marrero, Louisiana
We’ll make sure that the stress of this pandemic doesn’t wreak havoc on your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online for the future. We hope to see your smile in our office soon!