5 Expert Recommended Oral Care Tips If You Are Suffering From Covid-19

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There has been a little increase in the number of covid cases recorded around the country, and it is now up to everyone of us to strictly adhere to the precautions and covid regulations.

Fear and stigma surrounding this viral virus that created a two-year (and counting) pandemic have significantly decreased as we learn more about the disease and its treatment. We’ve learned a lot about how the virus spreads and how we’ve changed our habits when it comes to masking and social distancing, but we haven’t really looked into the impact of the pandemic and the virus itself on our dental health and hygiene.

“If you or a loved one has recently tested positive, a close look at your oral care regime may hold you in good stead and actually prevent you from getting a severe version of the disease,” says Dr. Diksha Tahilramani Batra, The Pain Free Dentist, Prosthodontist, Implantalogist, and Smile Design Specialist, sharing the must-do oral care practise for the covid recovered.

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OHP isolation
On testing positive not only you but also all your oral hygiene products (OHP’s) must be isolated.
• Store your toothbrush in a cool dry place away from other toothbrushes.
• It is important to disinfect your toothbrush after brushing daily by dipping in concentrated mouthwash.
• Disinfect your toothpaste surface.
• Use disposable interdental cleaning aids
• After recovery be sure to discard all these products and replace them with new ones to prevent any risk of reinfection or spread of the virus.

Controlling Oral Bacteria
There was never a better time to look after your oral care than right now in the pandemic. The virus finds the mouth as an easy portal of entry and better oral care can only mean you are preventing the virus from proliferating by transmission to others. This does not mean you can brush the virus away but reducing the bacteria in your mouth by good oral hygiene has actually reduced the systemic effects of the virus on the body thus resulting in a milder version of the infection.

Continue to brush twice a day for two minutes with a regular brush, use a toothpaste with good foaming action, flossing with an interdental stick, thread or small interdental brush.

An important tip is to avoid using automated gadgets during that can cause a splatter for the short term especially if the bathroom is being shared by other family members.

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Rinse Up With Mouthwash
If you haven’t added a mouthwash to your oral care routine then rinsing with a mouthwash with 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate or 1% povidone iodine has been proven to reduce the viral load and decrease transmission of the virus.

Eating Right Despite The Virus
Lemon, Citrus fruits like oranges and sweet lime, celery, green leafy vegetables are all a rich source of vitamin C for boosting your immunity and foods rich in zinc such as meat, eggs, legumes, seeds and nuts will also provide a natural way to recover from the infection.

Hydration Is Key
The importance of staying hydrated is two-fold and vital. The virus acts by reducing the host immunity to promote the growth of bacteria in the mouth, for people who have bad dental hygiene huge colonies of bacteria may cause superinfections or trigger acute dental problems. These can prevented most easily by hydration, a clean and moist mouth will prevent the bacteria from acting and dilute their toxins. The second benefit of drinking water is to prevent mask mouth- a condition characterised by bad breath caused by excessive mask wear and dehydration.

Many have felt symptomatic relief on drinking hot water but that’s a choice we leave to you as long as you consume the adequate 3-5 litres.

As soon as you test negative getting your dental care in order is most beneficial as you may realise that two weeks of isolation and impending lockdowns may trigger dental aches and pains that you didn’t know you ever had. In addition to the debilitating effects of the virus ranging from body ache to extreme fatigue, a toothache can definitely make matters worse. A dental office is definitely not a place to avoid in the pandemic in fact it can be one of the safest places which can help you reduce the severity of your Covid infection by eliminating other pathogens in the mouth. This is extremely beneficial to patients with gum disease who are also suffering from other co morbidities.

The intrinsic connection of your oral health with your overall health is something that existed long before the pandemic but has only become more apparent in recent times. Your oral hygiene routine might be your safety net in these turbulent times.

Also Read: Expert Recommended Ways To Get Rid Of Bad Breath And Yellow Teeth