At a time like this self-care and in particular oral-care has never been more important! It is well known that poor oral health can have a significant negative impact on your general health and can contribute to a number of systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and bacterial pneumonia.
Given that these conditions are well documented risk factors for Coronavirus, we wanted to give you as much information as possible to help keep your mouth in the best possible condition in order to keep you healthy!
We keep hearing that the older generations within our community are at greater risk of suffering severe symptoms of Coronavirus. Older generations have often lost some if not all of their natural teeth if this is the case, it is common to have these teeth replaced with partial or full dentures.
Research carried out by the Oral Health Foundation, has looked at the challenges faced by denture wearers and formulated four key steps to help keep your dentures in optimal condition.
Challenges:
- Poor denture hygiene leads to poorer oral and general health.
- Patients are given different advice on how to look after their dentures, which is generally based on dentist experience rather than evidence.
Steps to keep your dentures clean and mouth healthy:
- Clean your dentures twice daily with a denture brush and antibacterial soap.
- Soak your dentures overnight in a denture-cleaning solution. This helps to break down any residual plaque left behind after brushing and helps to disinfect the denture. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
- Do not wear your dentures overnight. This helps to prevent irritation and oral thrush of the soft tissues, which can increase your risk of pneumonia.
- Continue to see your dentist on a regular basis to check the condition of your dentures and the health of your mouth.
If your dentures break at this time please DO NOT attempt the repair them with household items such as superglue, it is poisonous and can cause serious harm if you are keeping it in your mouth. Contact your dentist at St. James, if you are able to send some photographs across it will be extremely helpful they will then be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.
At St. James Dental, our priority is looking after you in the best way we possibly can. The practice is currently closed to protect all of us from Coronavirus, but we are still here for you if you need any advice. If you are struggling to get hold of your regular oral or denture cleaning products, the practice has a limited supply that we are happy to provide to you, please let us know if we can be of any assistance!
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