We are quickly approaching the one year mark of the official declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic. With it comes experience with better understanding this new virus and what we can do to protect ourselves. One thing we really need to focus on though is that dental health is vital for public health. 

We wear masks, keep our distance and wash our hands, but to continue to improve our overall health and well-being, we also need to go to the dentist. That is because dental care is safe, essential and it should remain throughout the pandemic and beyond. It is so important that our public health depends on it. 

It’s a public health measure

Since the early 1980s when the emergence of HIV and AIDS forced all health professionals to take extra precautions, it prepared us for where we are now. Detailed infection prevention strategies were developed and dental teams went through extensive training and education to ensure we were able to properly care for our patients in the safest way possible. 

Dentistry embraced those safety standards, which put us in a good position going into this pandemic because we already followed such strict guidelines for public health protection. As we continue to navigate this pandemic, the protective masks, gloves and gowns that we have been wearing all this time as well as the strict attention to cleaning and disinfection has become commonplace. 

Initially our dental offices were closed as health experts tried to understand this new disease. But now it is officially known that skipping the dentist will only hurt our health further. It actually does more harm to skip dental health care as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

Oral health leads to optimal overall health

You may have heard this before, but your mouth is a window to your entire body’s health and well-being. That means that when your mouth and gums are healthy, you will continue to see the benefits. 

When you ignore your oral health and skip routine dental visits, signs of problems may go unnoticed. And when that happens, easily treated problems turn into serious problems. That means you could have chipped or cracked teeth, cavities, sore or bleeding gums and other issues that turn into larger problems. 

In fact, research has shown that if oral infection spreads throughout the body, it can contribute to dementia, heart disease and other life-threatening health conditions and complications. So make sure you stay on top of your oral health during the pandemic and long after it ends. 

Contact us at Pinnacle Peak Family Dentistry to learn more about what you need to do to maintain optimal oral health.