{"id":1399,"date":"2020-04-14T13:58:02","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T13:58:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/?p=1399"},"modified":"2020-04-14T13:58:18","modified_gmt":"2020-04-14T13:58:18","slug":"dentist-advice-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/14\/dentist-advice-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Dental Practices to Reduce Your Risk of COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_327146130__1586872799_12931-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"person washing their hands in a bathroom\" class=\"wp-image-1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_327146130__1586872799_12931-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_327146130__1586872799_12931-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_327146130__1586872799_12931.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A COVID-19 infection count is being constantly flashed across TV screens across the nation, making the pandemic even more daunting than it already is. During this time, it\u2019s a good idea to focus on everything that you can control and establishing safe and effective hygiene practices that can reduce your risk of contracting the virus. Because it\u2019s spread by droplet transfer to your mucous membrane (eyes, nose, mouth), it\u2019s especially important to sanitize and disinfect each time before you put anything in your mouth, like when you brush and floss. Read on to learn five dental practices from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/general-family-dentistry.html\">your dentist<\/a> that can help reduce your risk of COVID-19.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thoroughly Wash Your Hands Before Brushing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The CDC has confirmed that frequent and regular hand hygiene\nis one of the most important preventive steps you can take during the COVID-19\npandemic. Since scientists and researchers know that the virus is spread from\nyour hands coming into contact with your nose, mouth, or eyes, and exposing the\nvirus to your mucous membrane, it\u2019s important to remember to wash your hands\nfor at least 20 seconds before you carry out your dental hygiene routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Disinfect Your Toothbrush Regularly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bacteria and viruses can easily become trapped on your\ntoothbrush bristles and handle, which is why it\u2019s important to regularly\ndisinfect them. You can do this three different ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Soak the handle in a mixture of one part bleach\nto nine parts water or in a 70 percent alcohol solution.<\/li><li>Boil your toothbrush for 5 minutes.<\/li><li>Run your toothbrush through a full dishwashing cycle.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clean Your Toothbrush Holder<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the dirtiest and most bacteria-filled areas of your\nhouse is at the bottom of your toothbrush holder. Often times, water gets\ntrapped in this dark area, creating the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.\nThat\u2019s why it\u2019s important to regularly disinfect it, to keep you from becoming\nsick due to the transfer of this bacteria to your mouth. You can do this by\nsoaking it in a bleach and water solution and rinsing it out, or running it\nthrough your dishwasher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do Not Share Dental Products<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even with your family, it\u2019s important to reduce the amount\nof contact that you have with others. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to avoid\nsharing any dental products, such as a toothbrush or waterpik. If you\nabsolutely must have to, be sure to sanitize them after each use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Immediately Replace Your Toothbrush After Getting Sick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, you should always\nreplace your toothbrush after you get sick to prevent any chance of\nreinfection. Bacteria can easily become trapped in the bristles of your brush\nand stay there for days. Plus, since scientists aren\u2019t sure how long the virus\nis able to survive on surfaces at this time, it\u2019s a good idea to have a few\nextra toothbrushes on hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to protect yourself is to put effective\npreventive measures into place and remember to keep up with great hygiene\npractices, even when you\u2019re in the comfort of your own home. With these five\ntips listed above, you\u2019ll be able to increase your chances of staying healthy\nthrough this pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Vacek has been practicing dentistry in Waverly for about\na decade. He focuses on getting to know his patients and providing them with\nthe highest quality of preventive treatment. He regularly takes continuing\neducation courses to stay up-to-date with the latest that the dental world has\nto offer and is an active member of several professional organizations as well.\nFor questions or to schedule a consultation, visit Amberly Dental\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a> or call 402-786-2007.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A COVID-19 infection count is being constantly flashed across TV screens across the nation, making the pandemic even more daunting than it already is. During this time, it\u2019s a good idea to focus on everything that you can control and establishing safe and effective hygiene practices that can reduce your risk of contracting the virus. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1399"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1402,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1399\/revisions\/1402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amberlydental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}