Due to COVID-19, many dental offices have been closed to everything but dental emergencies. This means that if you had an appointment for something like routine dental cleaning and checkup, it’s probably been canceled or postponed. So what should you do if this has happened? Dr. Ami Barakat of Villanova Dental Studio, a dentist in Stittsville, Ontario, offers some suggestions.

Get Your Appointment Rescheduled

Just because your appointment isn’t considered an emergency doesn’t mean that it’s not important. Your bi-annual dental cleaning is important for your oral health. Our office may have already reached out to you to get you rescheduled. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool. We’ll make sure we get you set up for something in the future.

Keep Up an Oral Healthcare Routine at Home

Especially if you’re missing your deep cleaning, you want to make sure that you’re keeping up with your oral health at home. It can be hard to remember everything when your entire daily routine has been upended. You may be adjusting to working from home or helping to keep your children entertained. Things that may seem small, like consistently brushing and flossing, can fall by the wayside.

However, it’s imperative that you brush and floss at least twice a day. You don’t want to have problems down the road with tooth decay or gum disease. Set an alarm on your phone for mornings and evenings. This ensures you’re brushing and flossing twice a day and can remind others in your household as well. It doesn’t hurt to brush more often, either. If it helps you remember, you can brush after every meal.

Watch What You’re Consuming

It isn’t fully feasible to have a completely healthy diet right now. Grocery stores have limited hours and capacity and they’re struggling to keep food on the shelves. Many of us are turning to comfort food to help cope, and it often isn’t the healthiest. But there are some little things you can do with your diet to help with oral health.

First, try to consume less sugar. Sugar is one of the worst things for your oral health. Harmful oral bacteria use it as their main food source. They then release an acidic byproduct that eats through the enamel on your teeth. This is what leads to dental cavities and worse problems with tooth decay. The more sugar you’re eating, the more this byproduct is released into your mouth.

Also, drink water as your main beverage. If you’re drinking tap water, there’s a decent chance that it’s fortified with fluoride to strengthen your tooth enamel. Even if it isn’t, it’s still the best for your oral health. It’s the best at keeping your mouth hydrated, assisting in rinsing away sugars and food particles from your smile.

Your Dentist in Stittsville, Ontario

We’re here to help you when this crisis is over. We want to make sure the stress of the pandemic hasn’t impacted your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online for the future.