We here at Valley Dental Care hope this blog post finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming normal activities and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your oral health and safety in El Paso, TX.
Faced with this difficult situation, during confinement, we must not neglect our oral health, since at this time prevention is key to avoid having to visit the dentist in an emergency situation.
Here are 3 tips for maintaining good oral hygiene during home confinement:
Brush your teeth three times a day
We have heard this advice many times since we were kids. However, sometimes our busy lives can make it difficult to follow through with even brushing once daily. At these times, telecommuting or spending more time at home can be a good opportunity to spend time on our oral hygiene and establish a routine of brushing our teeth after every meal.
During quarantine, you may tend to eat more often between meals, so every time that you do, we recommend brushing your teeth immediately afterward or at least rinsing your mouth with plenty of water. This will prevent excessive bacteria from building up on your teeth and causing decay or periodontal disease.
It’s also important to remember that in order to achieve optimum oral hygiene, it is important to complement brushing with flossing daily.
Use mouth wash for added protection
Remember to use mouth wash is an addition to your everyday brushing and flossing routine. This will help to increase the cleanliness of your mouth. An antimicrobial agent in the mouth wash helps to kill the bacteria and built up plaque and tartar. If this build up is not cleared, then it will lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Using a mouth rinse also helps to reduce the chances of tooth decay that will be costly in the future. Before using the mouth rinse you can ask our highly trained dental staff for some suggestions.
Watch your diet and alcohol intake
One of the counterproductive effects of quarantine is that it produces high levels of anxiety, resulting in increased food consumption that our bodies may not be used to.
This can cause our teeth to be continuously exposed to sugars and other processed foods that create bacteria in our mouth. The resulting acids produced by the fermentation of sugar-rich foods by this bacteria present in dental plaque accelerates the process of demineralization of tooth enamel, increasing the risk of dental caries.
Therefore, in addition to brushing your teeth well, it is important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, taking special care with those foods that contain high amounts of sugar (such as industrial baked goods, candy, cereals, sugary soft drinks, etc.) and, as far as possible, reduce their intake.
Our office is open, so schedule an exam and teeth cleaning today!
Valley Dental Care is open and ready to except exams, X-rays, and teeth cleanings in our lower valley dental office. Even with brushing and flossing daily there is no replacement for a professional teeth cleaning to help prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Schedule an appointment today by calling (915) 598-7264 or by visiting our Contact Us page. Our staff is patient and friendly with your comfort being our highest goal.
