The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led many people to neglect their dental health by not properly brushing and flossing at home, or by consuming sugary foods and beverages that can lead to tooth decay or other problems.
Let’s take a look at some ways that being quarantined may have had a negative effect on your dental health and what to do if this happens.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is an ongoing infection of the gums, or soft tissues surrounding your teeth affecting your dental health. Your gums should be pink and healthy, providing a snug fit with all of your teeth. By neglecting proper oral hygiene, you may develop gum disease that typically leads to red, inflamed gums that may be tender. Another indication of the development of gum disease is gums that bleed frequently or easily whenever you brush or floss.
Treated early, gum disease is reversible. Left undetected and untreated, gum disease can become a permanent condition. This is something you definitely don’t want, as this condition can cause your teeth to loosen and fall out, leading to the necessity for expensive dental work.
Preventing Gum Disease
The best way to prevent gum disease is to regularly brush and floss your teeth at home. This helps to remove harmful oral bacteria that can cause an accumulation of plaque and tartar on your teeth and in the gum area.
In addition to maintaining your oral hygiene at home, you need to be visiting the dentist to have your teeth examined and cleaned on a regular basis. A dental exam gives us an opportunity to examine your mouth and detect any potential problems before they become bigger ones that require expensive dental work in the future.
Dental cleanings help prevent gum disease by removing plaque and tartar from your teeth and around your gums.
Prevention of Tooth Decay
Even though tooth decay is certainly an extremely common dental health condition, it is also entirely preventable in most cases. When it comes to preventing tooth decay, the most effective way of doing so is by ensuring that your teeth and gums remain as healthy as they can possibly be. You need to be doing things like the following:
Schedule Your Appointment
It’s hard to beat the combination of regularly brushing and flossing at home with regular dental exams and cleanings at our office. If you have been putting off needed dental exams and cleanings, please contact our office. We can help improve your dental health!