The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has affected all industries, including that of dentistry. At Hearts Dental we are always on the forefront of preventive dental care, and we want to make sure that you are updated on our clinic’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Hearts Dental’s Response to COVID-19
The health and wellness of our patients, staff and the community is our top priority. Because of this, Hearts Dental has decided to selectively open our doors for emergency treatments only, until further government decisions.
A dental emergency may be in the form of:
- Broken or sharp teeth causing pain
- Facial swellings as a result of dental infections
- Toothache causing loss of sleep
- Loose teeth affecting eating
- Dental trauma involving teeth damage
- Sharp braces digging into cheeks
If you experience a dental emergency during this time, please contact our office at 0490 188 456 We will do our best to provide advice and care on an as-need basis.
How to maintain good dental health and minimise dental emergencies
Dental emergencies could be highly stressful and often happen at the least convenient times. Our team has come up with some awesome tips on maintaining your dental health during this stressful time.
Master your brushing and flossing skills.
People always say that there is not enough time to floss. Now that we are all practicing social distancing surely you have some extra time to master your flossing skills. 🙂
Watch this video to learn more about brushing and flossing:
Modified Bass Brushing Technique
Daily Flossing Technique
Researchers find that a good habit takes 66 days to consolidate. Good daily oral hygiene goes a long way in preventing long term issues that can require costly restorative care. If you manage to keep up with excellent home dental care, not only will your teeth benefit, your general health will also improve dramatically too.
Eat healthy food and minimise frequent snacking.
During this stressful time, it is common for many of us to turn to comfort food such as chocolate, lollies, potato chips and soft drinks. These foods are high in sugar and sticky carbohydrates, making them very popular with oral bacteria. Moderation is the best approach when it comes to naughty snacks, otherwise, you might be faced with more plaque buildup, gum inflammation and dental decay when this COVID crisis is over! Some healthier snack options might be vegetable sticks, fruits and cheese. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated!
Avoid hard food or snacks that may crack your teeth.
One of the most common dental emergencies is broken teeth on hard food. Often the tooth is so badly damaged it needs a root canal therapy or worse still, an extraction. It is probably unrealistic to list all hard food, but the common ones to watch out for might be: nuts with hard shells, fruits with hard stones or pits, hard boiled candies, popcorn kernels, ice cubes, and hard crustacean with shells such as crabs and lobsters. Always cut food into smaller pieces for eating instead of taking a big bite into them!
Lastly, Stay healthy and happy and don’t let stress affect your dental health!
Teeth grinding or jaw clenching is a common reaction to stress. This can cause symptoms like headaches, ear aches, and jaw pain – all of which you don’t want to be dealing with right now. Stress and lack of regular sleep can also weaken your immune system, letting opportunistic pathogens affect your body in negative ways. We encourage patients to practice daily mindfulness to relax your body, soul and mind. As always, we appreciate your patience and consideration during this difficult time. As your trusted Blackburn dentists, we look forward to seeing you again soon. For now, thank you for helping Australia keep our family, friends, and neighbours healthy, and take care!