Health, COVID-19 and what can be done about it is a hot topic these days.
We like to be proactive and we bet you do too.
There are things you CAN do to reduce your risk of a COVID-19 infection and taking the time to have excellent oral health is one of them.
Click here to watch Dr. Matheson share this message with our community on the local news!
Did you know that...
- A clean mouth is an essential part of overall health (links 1 and 2 below).
- Unhealthy gums and teeth can cause you to have large amounts of bacteria in your mouth and potentially make you more susceptible to catching viral diseases and lead to worse outcomes if you do catch them. (links 3-8 below).
- People with good oral health are less likely to have what one study called “the four essential risk factors for severe COVID-19....diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity” (links 4 and 5 below).
- Both the CDC and the American Dental Association recommend maintaining oral health through regular check-ups and cleanings during the COVID-19 pandemic (links 1 and 9 below).
How do I keep my mouth in tip-top condition?
- FLOSS daily!
- Brush, Brush, Brush after every meal.
- Consider using an electric toothbrush.
- Schedule a dental cleaning and check-up today! We recommend cleanings at least twice a year.
- During your cleaning we will remove plaque (bacteria loves this stuff!), screen you for gum disease and cavities (places bacteria loves to hang out) and recommend fluoride or other treatments that can help you have excellent oral health.
Here’s what we’re doing to promote oral health and your safety while you’re in our office.
- Clean, Clean, Clean after every patient. We thoroughly disinfect equipment and surfaces in our operatories after every patient and have implemented frequent cleanings of our waiting and front desk areas.
- Screen patients and employees for symptoms of COVID-19, ask people entering our office to wear masks, practice social distancing in our waiting areas and limit the number of people coming into our office.
- Offer teledentistry. You call us. We schedule a phone consult with the doctor. You get dental expertise in the comfort of your own home.
- Implement enhanced protocols to screen for tooth and gum disease. We want to catch and prevent disease EARLY so you can have the healthiest mouth possible and avoid BIG problems down the road.
- Limit exposure to germs in the air by wearing masks and eye coverings and using practices and equipment that decrease the amount of aerosol released during surgical procedures.
- Educate our patients (and hopefully the world!) that there are always things you CAN control and excellent oral health is one of them!
Links to information about oral health and COVID-19:
