#StayAtHome Oral Health Tips

As we’re all adjusting to this temporary new way of living and the #stayathome life, your dentist in Charlottesville wants to remind you to not only focus on taking care of your overall health but also your oral health. The truth is, since our oral health plays a key role in our overall health, the more we can do to protect it, the healthier we will be. So what can you do at home? Let’s take a look.

Brush & Floss

The tried and true advice of brushing and flossing regularly should still remain a staple in your at-home oral hygiene routine. No matter what, make sure you’re brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. But there’s one additional tip that you should take into consideration before you start — Wash Your Hands! Even though you may be tired of hearing this advice, health professionals, including your dentist in Charlottesville, keep repeating it because it’s that important. Washing your hands often throughout the day will help remove germs and bacteria. It’s also smart to wash your hands prior to brushing or flossing as you should never put your hands in or around your mouth without washing them first. 

Take Care of Your Tools

While brushing your teeth is the best way to remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth and mouth, you need to take care of your toothbrush for it to be effective and to further protect your health. A few ways you can take care of your toothbrush include: 

• Keeping it to yourself – Make sure you’re the only one using your toothbrush. It’s never a good idea to share your toothbrush with anyone, including a child or spouse, as it can easily transfer bodily fluids from person to person. 

• Storing it properly – Always store your toothbrush upright to dry and keep it a few inches away from other household toothbrushes. Also, don’t cover up the bristles during storage. This creates an ideal environment for bacteria to flourish and multiply. 

• Replacing it when needed – If you do get sick, make sure to replace your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head to get rid of any germs that may be lingering around. You should also get a new toothbrush if you’ve been using the same one for 3-4 months or if the bristles are starting to fray.  

• Disinfecting it – Another way you can care for your toothbrush is to disinfect it before use. An easy-to-make mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide can effectively reduce coronavirus infectivity and kill other germs. Here’s how to make the solution: 

• Mix 1 fl oz of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 5 fl oz of water

• Soak your toothbrush in the mixture for 10 minutes. Dump out the mixture. 

• Rinse your toothbrush prior to brushing. 

At the time of publishing this, the American Dental Association (ADA) has recommended we postpone any routine dental care for three weeks. So even though your dental appointments are temporarily on hold, your dentist in Charlottesville wants all of our patients to know just how important it is to take care of your teeth during this time. Protect your oral health, stay at home if you can, and we hope to see you soon.