Don’t Let the Pandemic Ruin Your Oral Health

At our biomimetic dentistry in Colorado, Dr. McGinty strives to help protect the oral health of her patients during this pandemic. Dentists across the U.S. have seen a significant increase in the number of patients experiencing oral health issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and cracked, chipped, and broken teeth.

As with most disruptions to the lives of our patients, the pandemic seems like the most probable explanation behind this noted increase.

A recent survey conducted by the American Association of Endodontists found that over half of Americans say that COVID-19 has caused them to delay or cancel their regular dental exams and cleanings. Without regular dental care to spot and correct the problems caused by daily wear, serious oral health problems can develop.

The survey also found that the pandemic is having an impact on those working or studying remotely when it comes to their daily oral hygiene routines.

A Decline in Oral Hygiene Noted by Researchers

The survey’s findings showed that:

• 31 percent of respondents were eating more sweets
• 28 percent forgot or purposely didn’t schedule their regular dental visit.
• 1 in 4 said they have started waiting until later in the morning before brushing their teeth.
• 21 percent said they no longer bothered to even brush in the morning.
• 24 percent said they have started flossing less frequently, while 23 percent say they don’t floss at all.
• Millennials that participated in the survey reported experiencing the most disruption to their oral hygiene, with 43 percent saying that working from home or attending class virtually had disrupted their daily brushing and flossing routines.

Clearly, the impact of the pandemic has resulted in Americans of all ages deemphasizing the importance of their oral hygiene. Fortunately, it also seems that many of those same people realize that some aspect of their oral health cannot be ignored.

Of those surveyed, 60 percent say they would go to the dentist if they experienced tooth pain that would not go away. Respondents also said they would schedule a dental appointment if they thought that ignoring their oral health would lead to permanent tooth loss.

Protecting Your Health is Our Top Priority

Holistic dentist, Dr. McGinty, understands the reason why so many patients may choose to avoid the dentist. The steps most people take to lower their risk of contracting the virus – wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and avoiding spending time indoors with non-family members – are simply not possible when receiving dental care.

At a time when your health faces enormous challenges from the threat of COVID-19, you need a healthy immune system that’s fully capable of fighting off an infection. Ignoring your oral health during this time can place your health at jeopardy in ways you might not even realize.

As we’ve covered before on our blog, patients with poor oral health have a higher risk for developing a range of chronic health issues that include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.

Gum disease itself is an infection of your gum tissue that causes inflammation to develop in other areas of the body. With more inflammation comes a higher risk for disease.

Any and all of these conditions can place additional strain on your immune system at a time when you need to remain healthy.

Even though receiving dental care during the pandemic may seem like something you can skip, choosing to visit our biomimetic dentistry in Colorado could cause far more problems to develop.