Teeth in the time of COVID-19
The catch-phrase of 2020 so far has been “unprecedented times” and these certainly are. The profound changes that we’ve seen to our lives and our movements bring some unique challenges for many aspects of our health. In terms of dental health, we’re not expecting to see too many disastrous consequences of treatment having been delayed during these months of isolation. For the most part, dental problems move pretty slowly and keeping teeth and gums healthy is a long-term game. Many dentists have remained open for emergency care during the period of restrictions and have now resumed normal services.
What we are expecting to see as the world slowly returns to normal, is a increase in dental problems developing as a result of changed routines. As dentists, we often see changes in lifestyle result in significant escalations of decay or gum disease. As examples in the past, we frequently notice these changes occuring during pregnancy and early parenthood years, in patients with medical conditions and medications, or in patients suffering anxiety and depression. Most of us with healthy teeth and gums have managed to establish some pretty positive and consistent habits over the years, but it’s the small and consistent habitual changes that can knock this health out of balance.
So keeping your teeth and gums healthy during a long period of isolation isn’t likely to require any drastic intervention and the advice we’d give is pretty simple:
Maintaining routines. We hear a lot about the importance of maintaining a daily schedule for physical and mental well being and this certainly applies to dental health as well. Working from home or having a prolonged period of down-time at home is very likely to bring big changes in eating and snacking frequency which can be really harmful. Likewise, sleeping patterns can go out the window and even alcohol and smoking habits can change. Giving some detailed thought to establishing and keeping a structure in your day sounds simple, but is certainly the most important determinant of dental health.
Routines in oral hygiene. Keeping good patterns in cleaning teeth and gums goes without saying. This sounds easy but maintaining this over the long term is the biggest obstacle for most of us in keeping a healthy mouth. Scheduling a few minutes in the morning and night is key. If all else fails, the most critical time is to make sure that your cleaning is done well in the evening, and this is the very last thing that you do before heading off to sleep each night.
Forward planning. Again similar to other aspects of life, this isolation time can be a real challenge but can also be a chance to pause and consider the bigger picture. For some of us, this can be a good time to consider our goals and timeframes for future treatment.
Keeping in contact with your dentist. Even though we’re back to our normal hours and procedures, we understand many patients might still want to postpone some treatments, especially some larger things. But simply staying in touch with your dentist can help relieve uncertainty and anxiety about your care. Often this can just be advice regarding something you’re not sure about, or getting something checked out and planned in your mind for the future.
Don’t postpone the important stuff. At the end of the day, we are very confident that visiting a dental practice is safe during this time and our regulations reflect this. Well before COVID-19, dental practices are extremely well equipped to manage cross infection risks and this has been part of our day-to-day life and training for many years. Postponing or ignoring important dental problems for long periods will mean that they inevitably become bigger problems. If in doubt, it’s always a good idea to make contact to discuss.
As always, we’re available for advice by phone or email about any questions you might have. We’re back to our extended office hours and normal treatments, but are maintaining lower patients volumes during this time to allow for social distancing. We can be contacted on 9233 8558 or at info@dentistsofalphington.com.au. Online bookings can also be made via the button below.