The coronavirus crisis has caused many dental clinics to stop offering their usual dental care, many of them being closed or partially open and attending only to urgent cases due to the high risk their professionals run, who work using devices that generate aerosols in the patient's oral cavity and also do so at a distance of less than one metre from their patients' mouths.

Faced with this situation, during confinement, we must not neglect our oral health, since at this time prevention is key to avoid having to visit our dentist urgently.

Here are 6 tips for maintaining good oral hygiene during home confinement:

1. Brush your teeth at least three times a day

We have heard this advice more than once since we were children. However, sometimes our busy pace of life makes it difficult for us to follow it. At these times, telecommuting or spending more time at home can be a good opportunity to spend time on our oral hygiene and establish a routine of brushing our teeth after every meal.

It is important to brush your teeth correctly following good brushing technique:

• Place the brush at a 45º angle to the gum.
• It makes soft vibrating movements, from front to back, to massage and promote healthy gums.
• To finish cleaning the area, make a sweep in a vertical direction towards the tongue, cleaning the entire surface of the tooth.
• You should not forget to brush all the surfaces of the teeth (the exterior, interior and chewing surfaces, the latter in a circular motion).
• Establish an order in brushing that avoids leaving areas of the mouth unbrushed.
• To eliminate bacteria and keep your breath fresh, it is advisable to brush your tongue as well.

During quarantine, you may tend to eat more between meals, so every time you bite, we recommend brushing your teeth immediately afterwards or at least rinsing your mouth with plenty of water.

Finally, we must bear in mind that, in order to achieve optimum oral hygiene, it is important to complement brushing with the use of Mouthwash and dental floss.

2. Watch your diet

One of the counterproductive effects of quarantine is that it produces high levels of anxiety, resulting in increased food intake that we are not usually used to eating.

This situation causes our teeth to be continuously exposed to sugars in particular. The resulting acids produced by the fermentation of sugar-rich foods by bacteria present in dental plaque accelerate the process of demineralization of tooth enamel, increasing the risk of dental caries.

Therefore, in addition to brushing your teeth well, it is important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, taking special care with those foods that contain high amounts of sugar (such as industrial baked goods, candy, cereals, sugary soft drinks, etc.) and, as far as possible, reduce or control their intake.

3. Use oral hygiene products that contain fluoride

On many occasions, when buying oral hygiene products, it is believed that they all serve their purpose. However, there are currently many products on the market that do not contain the main component for preventing dental caries: the fluoride.

It fluoride helps the process of remineralization of the teeth's enamel, making them more resistant and preventing the early formation of cavities. In addition, it is an antibacterial agent so it helps prevent the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth.

That is why we recommend that, before buying a paste or rinse, you check that its ingredients include the fluoride.

4. Take care and educate the youngest in the house

During this time of quarantine we must be very attentive to the children at home so that they do not suffer accidents or falls that could cause strong impacts on their mouths.

Similarly, this confinement situation is an excellent opportunity to educate children about the importance of good oral care, ensure they use correct brushing technique and encourage good oral hygiene habits.

5. Visit your dentist once the quarantine is over

Once the quarantine is over, we recommend that you go to your dentist to have your current oral health checked and to be able to rule out any type of oral pathology that may have arisen.

6. However, in case of any oral alteration call your dentist

Even if the clinic is closed or only open in an emergency, your dentist can provide you with telephone counseling and tell you if your case is urgent or can wait until the quarantine is lifted.

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