Routine dental advice in the coronavirus crisis

The Mapleleaf practice is currently closed due to the coronavirus crisis and we have therefore been forced to postponed all routine dental and hygiene visits, dont worry though we will be back as soon as we can and in the meantime here is a little bit of advice from our hygienists :-

1. Continue to brush your teeth twice a day. As most of us have more time on our hands, try to spend a bit longer brushing. Use your phone to listen to your favourite song as you brush. Avoid cross contamination by not sharing your toothbrush with anyone else in the household. Leave it standing upright to dry out between cleans ideally at least a meter away from your toilet. Try to remember not to rinse out after you’ve brushed. Your toothpaste continues to work for up to an hour after you’ve cleaned so ideally you want to leave the remnants of your tooth paste on your teeth for as long as possible.
2. Try and make time to clean between the teeth. Use anything you can find. Ideally interdental brushes or floss but if you run out don’t panic. Try to push your toothbrush bristles in between your teeth as you clean. If you notice your gums bleeding DO NOT REACH for mouthwash it won’t help and will generate unsightly stain build-up. Instead try and identify the area where the gums are bleeding and really brush thoroughly in this area. It may bleed a little more initially but it should soon reduce or stop altogether. It’s not uncommon to get areas that bleed especially if you usually see the hygienist every 3 months but are having to wait a little longer. We’ll be able to get you back in track once we’re up and running again.
3. Try not to turn to sugary snacks to pass the time. The last thing you want is decay and a toothache at the moment. If you do find yourself snacking a lot, add in an extra tooth brushing session at mid day and try to give your mouth at least 2 hours between snacks. This will allow it enough time to dilute the acid created when we eat lots of sugar.
4. If you run out of tooth paste and can’t get any in the shops, again, don’t panic. Plaque bacteria is physically very vulnerable so keep brushing anyway. Even without any tooth paste. Just remember you won’t be getting your regular dose of fluoride if you’re not using toothpaste so even more reason to stay away from the snacks.
5. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Saliva plays a huge role in keeping your mouth healthy. If you’re dehydrated your saliva rate will slow town which increases the risk of you having problems.
6. Chew sugar free gum if you have any. It helps to stimulate saliva.
7. If your teeth become sensitive look at your diet. Usually very acid food and drinks cause this. If you’ve started eating lots of fruit, putting lemon in drinks, having salads with dressing, eating lots of yoghurt or drinking more fruit juice all of these things can contribute. Avoid the acid foods you’ve identified and the sensitivity should go away in its own. If it’s particularly bad, pop a little toothpaste on your finger and rub it into the area. The ingredients in the toothpaste will also help to ease any discomfort.
   The Dental team will be back as soon as we can. Please try not to worry.