With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, everything has flipped upside down. This novel pandemic is like nothing we have ever experienced within our lifetime and is hopefully something we will never experience again.
Still, even with all of these changes and restrictions, there are things we must do. One of these things is to protect our health. Especially vital is keeping your teeth healthy and practicing dental hygiene. Let's explore how your dental health is linked to your overall health and see how it plays a role in COVID-19 prevention and reduction.
The Risks of Poor Dental Hygiene
It is common knowledge that not properly taking care of your teeth and mouth can be very damaging. Poor dental hygiene causes a multitude of different health issues, including tooth loss, gum recession, and oral tissue decay and degradation.
It also has ties to other illnesses like oral cancer; one study from a 2001 issue of the Oral Oncology medical journal explains that poor oral health contributes to an increase in the presence of a substance known as acetaldehyde from the ethanol naturally found in saliva. This substance has ties to oral cancer and has shown a potential role in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, among other disorders.
Should you develop one of the commonly linked health problems that come with poor dental hygiene like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, COVID-19 has made it much harder to get in contact with medical professionals.
Doctor's offices have experienced a massive scheduling crisis and cannot see most patients promptly. If you need help due to dental hygiene linked health issues, you may not be able to get it right now as soon as you would like due to COVID-19 regulations. Therefore, it is very important that you practice proper oral care at home.
Dental Restrictions
While your dentist would love to serve you for cleanings and other non-essential, emergency care, dental hygienists, and dental assistants can only see patients on an emergency basis in some places. These regulatory changes limit how many people they can see and under what conditions.
Due to this, a lot of your dental care will fall into your own hands. You should take your dental care incredibly seriously to prevent cavities and other health issues that could end up delayed in getting proper treatment due to the restrictions that are in place currently due to the pandemic presence.
Plus, visiting a doctor's office or hospital right now increases your exposure potential to the coronavirus exponentially, putting yourself at an elevated risk.
Do Your Part
All in all, doing your part to keep yourself healthy across the board is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The current pandemic is a difficult time for everyone and increasing your exposure risk and further straining the medical professionals working on the frontlines is something no one needs right now.
Be responsible and take care of your oral health at home until everything is back to normal, and we can once again see your bright, shiny smiles!
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