Covid-19 and its Impact on Oral Hygiene

Dr. Firoz Lalani

Medically Reviewed By Dr. Firoz Lalani

Table of Contents

Covid 19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone in different forms and there are many areas of our lives that have been impacted. One of the areas that have suffered majorly is the oral health department. People scheduled appointments with their dentists due to many reasons.

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Let’s discuss a bit in detail how covid 19 has impacted our oral health.

Stress as The Main Reason

One of the main side effects of the pandemic on health is stress. For almost everyone, stress is a concern during this period and there are many reasons to worry. It varies from the security of a job to the loss of loved ones, from sickness in the family to heartaches. There are many reasons that are causing stress to humans on a regular basis during this pandemic.

It is this life that everyone is struggling with, what the future holds, the fear of the unknown that results in stress hugely. The impacts on oral health vary amongst people. There can be chipped and cracked teeth due to unintentional grinding of teeth. This condition requires immediate medical attention as it can worsen. Consulting the best dentist in Houston might advise you to wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth while asleep.

Self-analysis is often difficult and your partner or roommate will help you know your actions in sleep. It may also happen that you wake up due to this grinding sound. Along with this, other symptoms observed can be a pain in joints and toothache. So, just be observant.

oral health

Dry mouth

One of the very common problems that this pandemic has offered is dry mouth. While this problem has existed before, but covid has just increased the number. There are many reasons to be suffering from a dry mouth, but in this pandemic, the reason is wearing masks constantly. Having masks on leads the breath to remain inside which often results in oral tissue-damaging resulting in bad breath.

This problem of dry mouth is concerning and needs more research as it can lead to infections.

Gum Disease

It has been researched and published by Clinical Periodontology Journal that people suffering from gum disease are more likely to suffer severe covid 19. The research showed this is a major risk factor and half of the population suffers through it.

With a total of 568 patients involved in the study, some patients had mild symptoms on one hand and one’s with complications like ICU admission and ventilation on the other hand. It was found that patients with gum disease admitted due to covid were more likely to be

admitted to the ICU and required a ventilator.

This proves that there is a link between the coronavirus and gum disease. Some of the signs to observe are bad breath, bleeding gums, pus between teeth and gums, swollen gums, blood spots while brushing, tender gums, or red/purple gums. It would be best to schedule an appointment with Periodontists at ADental care gulf gate.

Oral ulcers or Gingival Tissue breakdown

There are shreds of evidence that show that covid 19 also damages the blood vessels in our body including the ones carrying blood to our gums which results in ulcers in our mouth.

Endothelial cells line the blood vessels and are prone to getting affected by the virus. If they are attacked, get damaged depriving the body of oxygen and when in the mouth cause ulcerations and dying gum tissues.

As discussed above, covid 19 has many different ways to impact overall and oral health. If you experience or observe any symptoms in your oral hygiene, make sure you consult your dentist at the earliest. Stay safe and stay healthy.

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