Due to COVID-19, many dental offices have been closed to everything but emergency dental services. This means that other appointments and procedures have been canceled or postponed. What should you do if your appointment was one that was affected? Dr. Ali Sarkarzadeh of Congressional Dental Care, a dentist in Rockville, MD, offers answers.
Have Your Appointment Rescheduled
Just because you don’t have an immediate dental emergency doesn’t mean your appointment isn’t important. It can be as simple as a dental cleaning, but it’s still something that’s essential to your oral health. We may have already reached out to you to get your appointment changed. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool to get something set up.
Keep Up With a Home Oral Healthcare Routine
These are unprecedented times we’ve been facing. COVID-19 has completely upended many lives. You may still be adjusting to unemployment or helping children with online learning. Your daily routine is far from what it normally was. This doesn’t mean you can let brushing and flossing fall off, though. It’s still essential to brush and floss at least twice a day to prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
Try setting an alarm or reminder on your phone for mornings and nights. This ensures you get your two a day in and can help remind the rest of your household as well. It doesn’t hurt if you brush more often, either. If it helps you remember easier, brush and floss after every meal. This also helps you get food particles out and away from your teeth as soon as possible.
Watch What You’re Consuming
Your diet can impact your oral health more than you may realize. Right now, it can be hard to eat a completely healthy and balanced diet. Many grocery stores still have limited hours and are struggling to keep products stocked on the shelves. However, there are some simple things you can do with your diet that benefit your oral health.
First, try to avoid eating a lot of sugar. Sugar is one of the worst enemies of your teeth. Harmful oral bacteria use it as their main food source and then emit an acidic byproduct. This byproduct eats through the enamel on your teeth, leading to dental cavities and other problems with tooth decay. The more sugar you’re eating, the more this byproduct is released into your mouth.
Also, drink water as your main beverage during this time. It doesn’t contain hidden sugars or additives like other drinks might. If you’re drinking tap water, there’s a good chance it’s fortified with fluoride to strengthen your tooth enamel. Even if it isn’t, it’s still the best choice to keep your mouth hydrated. This helps with rinsing away sugars and food particles from your smile.
Your Rockville, Maryland Dentist
We’re here to help make sure the stress of the pandemic hasn’t caused problems with the state of your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online!