Due to COVID-19, many dental practices adopted limited hours and focused on emergency services. If you had an appointment for something like a dental filling, it was probably canceled or postponed. But what should you do now? Dr. Scott Finlay, a dentist in Annapolis, MD, offers some suggestions.
Get Your Appointment Rescheduled
Just because your appointment may not have technically been considered an emergency, it’s still very important. Taking care of your oral health is imperative. No matter what you were scheduled for, be it a dental cleaning and checkup or something more, get an appointment as soon as you can. We may have already reached out to get you rescheduled. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool.
Keep Up Your Oral Healthcare Routine at Home
The virus has upended many of our normal routines and ways of life. You may be adjusting to working at home or helping your children with their online learning courses. It’s natural that things that seem small, like brushing and flossing, can get missed. However, it’s crucial that you keep up with your oral health if you want to avoid more problems with tooth decay and gum disease.
Try setting an alarm or reminder on your phone for the mornings and evenings so that you’re brushing at least twice a day. This can remind your entire household so you can all make sure you’re doing it together. And it won’t hurt if you brush your teeth more often. If it helps you to remember better, brush and floss after every meal. That also gets food particles out from between your teeth as quickly as possible.
Watch Your Diet
It may be hard to eat a completely healthy, balanced diet during this time. There are shortages at grocery stores and they may also have limited hours. We also tend to turn to unhealthier comfort foods during times of crisis. But you don’t have to be eating solely fruits and vegetables to help your teeth. There are some simple ways to help your oral health through what you are and aren’t consuming.
First, keep an eye on your sugar intake. Sugar is one of the worst enemies of your oral health. Harmful oral bacteria use sugar as their main food source. They then give off an acidic byproduct. This byproduct eats through the enamel on your teeth and leads to tooth decay, and possibly even the need for a root canal. The more sugar you’re eating, the more this byproduct is being released into your mouth.
Also, make sure that water is your drink of choice. It doesn’t contain hidden sugars or harmful additives. If it’s tap water, there’s a good chance that it’s fortified with fluoride, which strengthens your tooth enamel. Even if it isn’t, water keeps your mouth hydrated. This is important for rinsing sugar and food particles away from your smile.
Your Dentist in Annapolis, Maryland
We’re here to make sure the stress of the pandemic hasn’t messed up your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online.