This Article is From May 06, 2020

Skipped A Dentist's Appointment Amidst Lockdown? Follow These Steps To Take Care Of Your Teeth At Home

Lockdown oral health care tips: Oral health care is important to prevent cavities and even for diabetes management. There's a lot that you can do for dental care at home.

Skipped A Dentist's Appointment Amidst Lockdown? Follow These Steps To Take Care Of Your Teeth At Home

Use a mouthwash to prevent plaque formation and bad breath

Highlights

  • Brush your teeth two times a day
  • Change your toothbrush regularly
  • Clean between your teeth once a day

Regular visit to the dentist is an important part of oral health. The lockdown in India has been continuing for over a month now and the visits scheduled for dentists, doctors, salons, etc have all been delayed. In this article, we are going to talk about ways to take care of your oral health till the time you cannot visit the dentist. Oral health care is important to prevent cavities and even for diabetes management. There's a lot that you can do for dental care at home. Basic activities of course include brushing your teeth twice a day, regular flossing, using a good fluoride toothpaste, etc.

How to take care of your oral health at home

The four basic steps of oral health care involve:

  1. Brush your teeth two times a day
  2. Use a fluoride toothpaste
  3. Change your toothbrush regularly
  4. Clean between your teeth once a day

Also read: Do Not Ignore Oral Health! Simple Tips To Maintain Oral Hygiene

  • Apart from these, you can also add the use of a mouthwash to your oral healthcare list. Mouthwashes help in controlling plaque, bad breath, germs and tooth decay. You should use a mouthwash with essential oils like menthol, fluoride, peroxide and cetylpyridinium chloride.
  • Cut back on intake of sugary foods and drinks. Bacteria which causes plaque can use sugar to produce acids which attack enamel, the hard surface of tooth.
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Cut back on intake of desserts and sugary foods to take care of your oral health
Photo Credit: iStock

  • Quit smoking. Apart from severely damaging your health, smoking can result in development of tartar on teeth. Development of tartar can lead to gum disease. Chemicals in tobacco products can negatively impact saliva flow in the mouth. It makes it easier for bacteria to stick to teeth and gums.

Also read: What Happens When You Quit Smoking? Tips To Deal With Withdrawal Symptoms

  • Manage diabetes by regularly monitoring blood sugar levels, exercising regularly, sleeping well, and avoiding refined carbs, and of course, sugary foods.
  • If you are new at flossing, your gums may bleed a bit. It takes a week or so for your gums to get used to any new routine. Flossing, brushing and tongue scraping must all be done gently.
  • Even though there is no scientific evidence supporting that tongue scrapings helps in getting rid of bacteria (including the one which causes bad breath), there is nothing wrong with cleaning your tongue. Just make sure that you scrape it gently.
  • You may need emergency services in case of a broken tooth or crown, serious pain or swelling in mouth, unusual bleeding that won't stop, problem with dentures. Make sure you call your dentist before going to the emergency. They can guide with the best steps forward.

Also read: Nuts, Eggs And Other Foods You Should Eat For Healthy Teeth

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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