Taking care Of Your Teeth While Staying at Home During Lockdown

Here are some top tips from Super-Specialist Dr. Sharad Kumar M.D.S.(Ortho) from ISO 9001:2015 Certified Smile Please Dental Clinic in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, to help keep your teeth and gums healthy and pain-free.

Due to COVID 19, we have been forced to stay in a locked down situation. These are unique and unprecedented times – we have been quarantined for the first time in modern Indian history, and physical and mental activity is at its least for all of us. Taking care of our mind and body has never been of such paramount importance, as we all need to ensure that we come out stronger once normal life resumes. While we are engaged in working from home, attending or conducting webinars ,reading books, exercising at home or just lazing around, we are also indulging ourselves in cooking and binge eating. And while most of us do try to ensure proper nutrition, we often tend to ignore a critical part of our body: our teeth. Dental problems can be quite painful. Here are some ways you can avoid or handle dental emergencies during this lockdown.(In case of emergencies we are available on Call or Whatsapp at 9821662442. You can also have a Zoom Consultation with Dr. Sharad Kumar M.D.S.(ORTHO).)

SEVERE/ MILD TOOTHACHE

•You should first rinse your mouth with warm saline water to see if the pain subsides. Apply Ice pack (cold compressions) in case of swelling.

•Clove oil or clove: It is a traditional remedy for numbing the nerves – soak cotton with two drops of clove oil and place it against the tooth until pain recedes. In case clove oil is not available, you can use a bit of powdered clove or chew a whole clove to release clove oil and keep it in place up to half an hour or until the pain subsides. Remember not to leave clove clove for a longer duration (than prescribed) in your mouth.

•Peppermint Tea also has a numbing effect similar to clove. Put 1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves in a cup of water and boil for 20 minutes. After the tea cools, swish it around in your mouth then spit it out or swallow. You can also use Peppermint oil if available.

•Rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide helps kill bacteria and relieve some discomfort. Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution which is only for rinsing – do not swallow, spit it out and then rinse the mouth several times with plain water.

• Medications such as Acetaminophen or diclofenac will also help with the acute pain.

You also need to check if there is a food particle or other debris wedged alongside the tooth and if that is leading to pain. If so, try flossing/ use Proxa brush around/ in between the teeth. Please avoid using a sharp 
object/ pin/ tooth pick in the mouth as it may aggravate your pain.

If the toothache is severe, increases while lying down, or worsens with hot food, you may need additional help. You can schedule a Zoom Consultation with Dr. Sharad Kumar M.D.S.(ORTHO).. Call/ Whatsapp at +91 9821662442.

BROKEN/ KNOCKED OUT TOOTH

If your tooth is broken, try to keep the broken piece safely with you. Your dentist will be able to bond the broken piece back to your teeth. How do you handle the broken piece is imperative. 
You should carefully pick the tooth by the crown or the top – take care not to touch the root – and carefully rinse it without scrubbing. If possible, reinsert the tooth in the socket, if you 
unable to reinsert, place the tooth in a small container dipped in milk and contact your dentist quickly to increase the chances of saving your tooth.

In case a large piece is broken, your tooth may bleed because of exposed dental pulp. In such case, you may need an emergency root canal. Consider calling us Smile Please Super Speciality Dental Clinic – Support immediately at 9821662442. If the tooth is broken because of an injury, use cold compressions for any facial swelling if present.

Maintaining good oral hygiene:

•Brush twice daily(Highly recommended): The layer of plaque deposits in every 12 hours, thus, brushing twice helps removing it. Plaque has millions of bacteria, it can cause decay of teeth & gum problems.

•Brush Thoroughly: You should spend at least 2- 3 minutes on brushing. Take your time, moving the toothbrush in gentle, circular motions to remove plaque.

•Use Fluoride Toothpaste: Fluoride is absorbed into the enamel and helps to repair it by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphorous required to keep your teeth hard.

•Floss your teeth daily: Flossing helps clean in-between the teeth. When you don’t floss, you’re at risk for two major dental issues in your mouth: Gingivitis and cavities between your teeth. In case the area is in-accessible, then use proxa brush to clean in between teeth.

•Limit sugary and acidic food: Bacteria in your mouth use sugar from food and drinks to produce acids that dissolve and damage the teeth. These acids cause cavities (tooth decay). Frequent snacking on foods high in sugar increases the amount of time your teeth are exposed to the dissolving effects of various acids. The most common source of liquid sugar is sugary soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and juices. In addition to sugar, these drinks have high levels of acids that can cause tooth decay. In case of consumption, do remember to rinse thoroughly afterwards.

•Avoid sticky foods: “Sticky foods” are those that provide long-lasting sources of sugar, such as hard candies, breath mints and lollipops. These are also linked to tooth decay. Avoid as much as possible.

•Drink lots of water: Water helps you keep your mouth clean and fight dry mouth. Water washes away leftover food and residue that cavity-causing bacteria are looking for. It also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria.

How to Avoid Potential Emergencies

The best way to prevent dental emergencies is to stay proactive in your oral hygiene and have routine check-ups. Good nutrition begins with healthy teeth.

Use a saltwater or hydrogen peroxide mouthwash 

Mouthwash is not a replacement for brushing, but it can be a useful disinfectant, especially when there is a pandemic in full swing. Studies have shown that hydrogen peroxide mouthwashes have antiviral properties which could kill viruses such as Covid-19 which have been shown to live in mouth and throat for approximately four days.

Avoid chewing ice, popcorn kernels and hard candy, all of which can crack a tooth.

A simple tip – use scissors/ knives, NEVER your teeth, to cut or tear things; it may lead to a chipped tooth.

We sincerely wish that you don’t have to face any dental emergency during the COVID-19 lockdown. But if this situation should arise, pain or swelling, please call Dr. Sharad Kumar at 9821662442/ 9930185453 for an Online Zoom consultation. All others should go to their nearest Hospital Emergency Department.
For existing patients of the Smile Please Dental Clinic, a member of our team will contact you regarding pre-scheduled, upcoming appointments. For additional information, please call 9821662442. Your oral health is important to us and we look forward to resuming providing care within the Smile Please Dental Clinic as soon as possible.