Dental Tips for Staying Healthy

Following the recommendations of our local government, the CDC, as well as the ADA, Spokane Dental has cancelled dental appointments to protect our patients amidst the COVID-19 crisis. While we are unable to see patients for non-urgent or non-essential dental care in the office, we still want to support our patients in any way we can. You can reach our office at 509-466-2373. Our office staff is regularly checking voicemail and responding to any concerns. We can also offer some helpful dental tips for keeping you and your family healthy during this time.

Replace Your Tooth Brush Head

We are all focusing on washing hands and keeping our homes clean at the moment, but don’t forget about your toothbrush! The optimal time for changing your toothbrush head is every 3 months or sooner. When picking out a new toothbrush or toothbrush head, opt for soft or extra soft bristles to protect your teeth and gums from excessive wear. Another healthy tip: keep your toothbrush tucked away in a drawer instead of out on the bathroom counter to keep it cleaner.

Focus on Oral Health

Oral health is linked strongly to overall health. When one suffers, so does the other. As we are all focused on being as healthy as we can possibly be during these times, practicing good oral homecare can help that mission! Lowering inflammation and the bacterial load in the mouth lowers inflammation in the rest of the body. Brushing teeth twice a day with toothpaste while making sure to brush every surface of every tooth (if you want some brushing tips, click here) will keep the bacteria and tartar from building up on teeth. Flossing once a day will get in between the teeth where a toothbrush cannot reach. If desired, you can also add in an antibacterial mouth rinse, which does not remove plaque from the teeth (only a toothbrush or floss can do that!) but kills bacteria in the mouth.

Be Proactive

Ignoring dental pain can cause more problems than people often realize. While at this time we are unable to see patients for maintenance/preventive type appointments, it is still important to take care of your mouth. Dental pain can be a sign of a cavity, abscess, or other problems that can affect overall health and compromise the teeth or tissue around it. If you are experiencing dental pain, leave a message for Dr. Smith and he will help you navigate your oral health during this unique time.

You, our patients, mean so much to us and everything we do is for your health. We appreciate you all, and look forward to getting back to our normal office schedule in the future.