Due to COVID-19, dental practices were closed to everything but emergency dentistry. Now, things are slowly opening back up and dental practices are able to provide regular services again. But what should you do if you had a dental appointment scheduled over the time we were closed? Dr. Alan Dechter and Dr. Matthew Moy, dentists in Silver Spring, MD, offer some tips.
Get Your Appointment Rescheduled
Just because it wasn’t an immediate dental emergency doesn’t mean your appointment wasn’t important. Things like family dentistry are important to the oral health of your whole family. We may have already reached out to you to get your appointment rescheduled. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool!
Keep Up With Your Oral Health at Home
Especially if you missed your regular dental cleaning and exam, you want to make sure you’re taking care of your oral health at home. We know that routines have changed and remembering the little things can be a struggle. However, brushing and flossing at least twice a day is crucial to your oral health if you want to avoid problems with tooth decay and gum disease.
Try setting an alarm on your phone for both mornings and evenings. This makes sure that you at least get two a day in. It can also help remind other members of your household to brush and floss. It doesn’t hurt to brush more than twice a day either. If it helps you to remember better, brush and floss after every meal. This has the added benefit of getting food particles out from between your teeth as soon as possible.
Watch What You’re Consuming
Your diet can have a bigger impact on your oral health than you realize. We also know that it’s been a hard time to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet. Grocery stores have had limited hours and are struggling to keep things in stock on the shelves. Many of us have also been turning to comfort foods, which aren’t the healthiest. But there are some simple things you can do with your diet to benefit your oral health.
First, avoid consuming a lot of sugar. Sugar can be one of the worst enemies of your teeth. Harmful oral bacteria reside in your mouth and use it as the main food source. These bacteria then emit an acidic byproduct that eats through the enamel on your teeth. This is what leads to problems with tooth decay, leading to things like root canals or tooth extraction. The more sugar you consume, the more this byproduct is being released into your mouth.
Also, make water the main beverage you’re drinking. It doesn’t contain hidden additives or sugars that other beverages might. If you’re drinking tap water, it’s also most likely fortified with fluoride to strengthen your tooth enamel. Even if it isn’t, water is still the best choice for keeping your mouth hydrated. It helps rinse away sugars and food particles from your smile.
We’re here to make sure that the pandemic hasn’t wreaked havoc on your teeth. Call us or schedule an appointment online!