As I expect many people have, I’ve been reading lots of different stuff over the last few weeks. It’s good to think outside the box and look at how other people do things.

One of the things I was reading was a blog from an astronaut. She was telling us that there are no dentists in space and in some ways lockdown can be a bit like being in space. We are not allowed to go out, and we can’t access essential services.

Obviously, if you were planning to go into space, you would have had a detailed dental examination and any important work completed before you went, to reduce the likelihood of having a problem when you can’t get to the dentist.

Lockdown came hard and fast so some people have been left in the middle of treatment when we were ordered to close. We certainly didn’t have the option to ensure that everyone was dentally fit. For people who don’t attend regularly, they may have had some trouble already brewing. Some people don’t attend except when they are in pain.

With that in mind, here are a few tips:-

1. Toothbrushing! Don’t neglect the regular care of your mouth. Brush at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Spit, don’t rinse, to allow the toothpaste to stay in contact with the teeth for longer.  Make sure you continue to nag your children about the importance of toothbrushing.
2. Tepe brushes are excellent for getting between the teeth, especially if you have larger gaps where food can get stuck.
3. Dental floss. If you’ve never bothered with floss, now is a good time to get up to speed with it.  Flossing 3 times a week can improve your gum health and help you keep your teeth. Look up flossing on You Tube for some excellent demos.
4. Mouthwash. Most of the time we don’t really ‘need’ mouthwash, but in the current situation, I would say that we should use any products available to help keep our mouths healthy. There is also some evidence that peroxide mouthwashes such as Peroxyl will also help reduce coronavirus load.
5. Think about what you are eating and drinking. We can get lazy and more prone to snacking, due to stress and boredom. If you are consuming more snacks then your teeth are experiencing more sugar and acid attack which will lead to more decay. If you are having trouble controlling your snacking brushing your teeth or using a mouthwash at lunchtime would be beneficial.

If you are having problems with your teeth and gums we are still available for advice via phone or video call and we can, if needed, prescribe antibiotics for you. One of our reception team is managing the phone during the day on 01908 230209 or you can email smilesmk@appledore.co.uk for advice.

Dr Teresa Day is the Founder and Clinical Director of Appledore Dental Clinic.