{"id":224,"date":"2020-04-29T14:28:29","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T14:28:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/?p=224"},"modified":"2020-04-29T14:28:29","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T14:28:29","slug":"keeping-up-with-dental-hygiene-through-quarantine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/keeping-up-with-dental-hygiene-through-quarantine\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Guide to Keeping Up with Dental Hygiene Through Quarantine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_135336257__1576853074_21682-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"toothpaste going on toothbrush\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_135336257__1576853074_21682-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_135336257__1576853074_21682-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_135336257__1576853074_21682.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Isn\u2019t it crazy that a few months ago, most of us had never heard of COVID-19? Now it feels like it has taken over our lives and changed the way we do just about everything. This includes the way your dentist\u2019s practice operates. Most dentists are following the American Dental Association\u2019s recommendation to only treat emergency patients for the time being. This means that your regularly scheduled checkups and cleanings will have to be postponed until the quarantine is over. In the meantime, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">your dentist<\/a> has written this handy guide on keeping up with dental hygiene through quarantine.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Use the Correct Brushing Technique<\/h2>\n<p>Brushing your teeth is one of the easiest ways to prevent plaque from wreaking havoc on your oral health. You should make sure to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Brush for at least two minutes at a time every morning and every night<\/li>\n<li>Apply only the gentlest pressure \u2013 brushing too vigorously can irritate your gums and erode your enamel<\/li>\n<li>Use a toothpaste with fluoride to strengthen your teeth<\/li>\n<li>Remember to brush the backs of your teeth as well as the area around the gumline<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Floss Every Night<\/h2>\n<p>Your toothbrush alone can only clean about 60% of the surfaces of your teeth. Luckily, flossing takes care of the rest. It\u2019s especially crucial that you floss before bed. Otherwise, harmful food particles stuck between your teeth will sit there all night, giving bacteria in your mouth ample time to cause or worsen tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few tips on how to floss properly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Never<\/em> snap the floss against your gums<\/li>\n<li>Use a string of floss about 18 inches long, and switch to a new section of the string for each tooth<\/li>\n<li>Clean both sides of the teeth in each space, rather than just placing the floss in between the teeth and quickly pulling it out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Rinse with Mouthwash<\/h2>\n<p>Many people have their brushing and flossing routines down pat, but neglect to add mouthwash to their regimen. However, it can be massively beneficial to swish with mouthwash for 30-60 seconds before or after you brush and floss.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind, though, that not all mouthwashes are created equal. Some are only designed to freshen your breath or whiten teeth, while others are made to boost your oral health. Avoid mouthwashes with alcohol in them at all costs. Alcohol has the potential to dry out your mouth, which actually <em>increases<\/em> your risk of problems like gum disease and cavities. Instead, opt for a mouthwash containing fluoride, which makes your enamel stronger.<\/p>\n<p>Once this COVID-19 pandemic slows down, your dentist should open up their practice again for regular checkups and cleanings. In the meantime, it\u2019s a good idea to call and schedule your next appointment so that you don\u2019t have to worry about it later.<\/p>\n<h2>About the Author<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/meet-dr-ayer.html\">Dr. Dennis Ayer<\/a> is a dentist in Leawood, KS who graduated in 1984 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. In the same year, he founded his private practice with the goal of providing comprehensive, advanced and cosmetic dentistry. Throughout his career, he has completed more than 3,500 hours of post-graduate courses to hone his dentistry skills. His practice is currently only open to treating emergency patients. If you are suffering through a dental emergency, or if you want to book your next checkup for when the office reopens, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/contact-us.html\">contact<\/a> Dr. Ayer\u2019s practice at (913) 246-3000.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Isn\u2019t it crazy that a few months ago, most of us had never heard of COVID-19? Now it feels like it has taken over our lives and changed the way we do just about everything. This includes the way your dentist\u2019s practice operates. Most dentists are following the American Dental Association\u2019s recommendation to only treat [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Keeping Up with Dental Hygiene Through Quarantine | Dr. Dennis Ayer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Since your dentist in Leawood is closed for regular checkups, they have written this guide on keeping up with dental hygiene through quarantine.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/keeping-up-with-dental-hygiene-through-quarantine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Keeping Up with Dental Hygiene Through Quarantine | Dr. Dennis Ayer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Since your dentist in Leawood is closed for regular checkups, they have written this guide on keeping up with dental hygiene through quarantine.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.docayer.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/keeping-up-with-dental-hygiene-through-quarantine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dennis C. 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