Does working from home present a dental problem?

7th January 2022

For many people, working from home now feels fairly normal and there are certainly many positives to be had. At Coppice View Dental Care we’ve noticed some surprising variations in our patients’ dental health since lockdown back in March 2020 and thought it might be useful to share our views on this.

The good

Well, it does seem that a lot of people have really stepped up with their day-to-day care. This may well be due to the eight weeks or so that we were unable to see people face-to-face back in March/April 2020. It feels like the message is slowly starting to get through that careful daily dental routines mean fewer problems or interventions.

An impressive number of our patients are now taking extra care with their cleaning (using electric toothbrushes and cleaning between their teeth regularly with floss or interdental brushes!). This might not seem like big news, but I’ve spent the last 20 years or so explaining why it’s so important and for the first time it does honestly feel like people are starting to take note.

If you’re not one of those using floss or interdental brushes, it’s definitely time to start! It’s no longer considered an optional extra, loads of people are getting into it and guess what? They are in great health – nice smiles, healthy gums, very little bleeding, no cavities. Amazing!

If you’re working from home, it should be no trouble at all to keep an interdental brush close to hand – perfect for an idle moment or while waiting for inspiration….

The bad

It’s not necessarily all good news. For some, a less structured day might present more opportunity to graze and snack. It’s really important to think about healthy choices here. Anything sweet or acidic means an increased risk of decay and the more times you have something, the higher the risk.

If you can, try to stick to regular mealtimes rather than snacking, and avoid sugary snacks or drinks.

Whilst it looks unlikely that dental services will ever have to stop face to face provision, the importance of taking responsibility for your own wellbeing has never been more clear. Rest assured though, here at Coppice View we’re doing our best to keep providing the highest levels of dental care even during these unprecedented times. If we can help in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Mike

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01423 503 428

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Coppice View Dental Care
104 Kings Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 5HH