Oral Hygiene & Care
By Custer Creek Dental Care

Maintaining good hygiene is necessary for a strong and healthy body. Your mouth is the gateway to your body. Since most bacteria and viruses enter the body through the mouth, it is essential that you keep your mouth clean and hygienic.

Especially at times like these when the entire world is fighting COVID-19 (coronavirus), maintaining proper hygiene is the key to ensuring safety. To help you, avoid watching the coronavirus and spreading it, here are some tips to follow to keep your mouth healthy:

1. Put an End to Tooth Brush Sharing

Your toothbrush comes in contact with your teeth and saliva, and the bacteria present in your mouth. The toothbrush can easily become a breeding ground for such bacteria. Sharing your toothbrush is one way in which viruses and blood-borne diseases like the coronavirus are spread from one person to another. So make sure that you never share your toothbrush, regardless of how closely related to a person you are. Also, when the toothbrushes are stored, make sure that the bristles of the toothbrushes do not come in contact.

2. Be Careful When Flushing

Always try to store the toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. But if you do, you will have to be careful about flushing. Whenever you flush the toilet, some of the sprays will scatter around and a few droplets will inevitably land on your toothbrush. This is not only unhygienic but can also promote the spread of viruses. Research has already confirmed that virus-borne diseases are transferred through fecal matter. So, you should always put down the lid of the toilet before flushing. This will ensure proper hygiene.

3. Replace Your Tooth Brush Frequently

As a rule of thumb, one should replace their toothbrush every three months. You should also replace your toothbrush after you fall sick. Regularly replacing your toothbrush will help in preventing the spread of bacteria. If you were infected by the coronavirus or had been generally ill, make sure to get a new brush right away.

4. Don’t Skip Dental Visits

Most viral diseases infecting the body have been known to have some oral symptoms. Poor oral health could often be an indication of an underlying condition or viral disease in the body. Regularly visiting the dentist can help in the early identification of such symptoms. Your dentist in McKinney will help you maintain proper oral hygiene.

5. Diligently Practice Basic Oral Care

No matter what the situation, your oral health should always be a top priority. Along with visiting your dentist regularly, you should follow simple everyday oral hygiene habits to keep your mouth healthy. Some key practices include:

  • Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice every day.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste.
  • Watch your intake of sugary foods and drinks.
  • Don’t skip flossing after you brush.
  • Remember to clean your tongue too.

You can read this article to learn more about daily practices for proper oral hygiene.

6. Seek Immediate Care for Emergencies

If you knock out a tooth or experience extreme pain suddenly, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a dentist. You should never put off a dental emergency. Doing so could have serious consequences. Unattended, extreme pain could also cause you to touch your mouth repeatedly. This could be a source of entry in your body for disease-causing viruses. Timely attention and care can relieve the pain and increase your chances of recovering the affected tooth.

Oral health is important to ensure overall better health. At difficult times like these, proper oral hygiene and overall hygiene are necessary for avoiding coronavirus. It is necessary to take such measures and be cautious to protect yourself and the ones around you from COVID-19.

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