With the COVID-19 pandemic, dental offices were closed to everything but emergency services. Now that things are slowly opening back up, they can offer more services to their patients. But what if you had an appointment scheduled over the time when regular dental services weren’t offered? Premier Dental Care, a dentist in Palmdale, CA, offers some suggestions.
Get Your Appointment Rescheduled
Just because your appointment was canceled doesn’t mean you should use this as an excuse to skip it. It may not be a dental emergency, but your appointment is still important. Even just a dental cleaning is essential for your oral health. We may have already reached out to you to get your appointment rescheduled. If not, call us or use our online scheduling tool to get something set up for the future.
Keep Up a Home Oral Care Routine
Particularly if you’re missing your regular dental cleaning, it’s important to make sure you’re keeping up with your oral health at home. We know that some things may have fallen by the wayside during this time. Our normal routines have been upended and things that may seem small can get missed. However, it’s crucial that you’re brushing and flossing at least twice a day if you want to keep your smile healthy.
Try setting an alarm or reminder on your phone for mornings and evenings. This can remind you to at least get your twice-a-day in. It can also help remind other members of your household. It doesn’t hurt to brush more often, either. If it helps you to remember better, brush after every meal. This has the added benefit of getting food particles away from your teeth immediately.
Watch What You’re Consuming
Your diet may have more of an impact on your oral health than you realize. It’s also a difficult time to have a completely healthy diet. Grocery stores have had trouble keeping their shelves fully stocked. We’re turning to comfort food, which often isn’t the healthiest. But there are some simple things you can do with your diet to benefit your oral health.
First, try to avoid consuming too much sugar. Sugar is one of the biggest enemies of your smile. Harmful oral bacteria use it as a main food source and then emit an acidic byproduct that eats through the enamel on your teeth. This is what leads to dental cavities and other problems with tooth decay. The more sugar you consume, the more this byproduct is released in your mouth.
Also, make water the primary beverage you’re drinking. It doesn’t have hidden sugars and additives like other drinks may have. If you’re drinking tap water, there’s a good chance it’s also fortified with fluoride to strengthen your dental enamel. Even if it doesn’t have fluoride, water is still the best choice for keeping your mouth hydrated. It helps rinse sugars and food particles away from your smile.
Your Dentist in Palmdale, California
We’re ready to make sure the pandemic hasn’t had too much of an impact on your smile. Call us or schedule an appointment online!