Washing your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water, not touching your face or maintaining a safe distance are some of the most important measures to avoid the spread of the Coronavirus.
Unfortunately they are not enough, since this virus has many ways to access our body, including the mouth. To prevent this from happening, good oral hygiene is essential. In fact, a habit as simple as brushing your teeth helps reduce the build-up of plaque from your mouth and oral hygiene items.
But what other guidelines, beyond daily brushing, can help you achieve a total cleaning? Here are some tips from Oral-B to protect both your health and that of those around you.
Renew your toothbrush every three months. There are several scientific studies that show that excessively long use of the toothbrush reduces its effectiveness. That is why it is advisable to change it every quarter, more or less. However, we should also replace them with a new one after a cold, flu, infection in the mouth or a sore throat, as germs can hide among the sows and lead to reinfection. So if you have passed the coronavirus, or suspect it, change it for a new one.
As parents have repeated all their lives, brush at least twice a day and always before bed to remove plaque well.
To achieve a good result, the ideal, as endorsed by the Spanish Dental Foundation (FDE), is a rotational oscillating technology brush. In addition, it is advisable to use dental floss once a day, to prevent cavities between the teeth, since the interdental area accounts for 40% of the entire surface and is the most inaccessible. You should also perform a previous mouth rinse with undiluted mouthwash in water, such as Pro-Expert Mouthwash.
Use a toothpaste with a good concentration of fluoride, due to its effective antimicrobial action.
The Spanish Dental Foundation confirms that stabilized stannous fluoride toothpastes offer the best protection for those areas that dentists take care of the most. If you are undecided and don’t know which one to choose, we suggest these three Oral B pastes: Pro-Expert Professional Protection, 3D White Lux or Gums and Repair Original Enamel.
Although it seems obvious, never share your toothbrush with anyone, not even with your partner, as it is an open door to viruses and blood-borne diseases. For this same reason, keeping the brush heads separate from each other is also important.
Make sure your toothbrush is a safe distance from the toilet and close the lid before flushing so bacteria don’t shoot onto nearby toothbrushes.
Visit the dentist at least once a year. Prevention is key to avoid greater evils such as, for example, that a simple cavity reaches the nerve, that the gums become inflamed due to tartar or that the teeth move.
Take care of your diet:
drink plenty of water and reduce the amount and frequency with which you consume sugary foods and drinks. To enhance the natural anti-infective pathway, it is best to include foods such as beets, garlic, dark chocolate, pomegranate and spinach in your diet.
