During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s essential to practice social distancing, wash your hands regularly, and wear a face mask to keep yourself and others healthy. While you should stay home as much as possible, experts say it’s still important to go to your biannual dental checkup. Postponing it for several months can lead to serious oral health issues and even a weaker immune system. Read on as your Las Cruces dentist explains more about how biannual visits keep you healthy and what they’re doing to keep you safe when you visit them during the COIVD-19 pandemic.
Dental Checkups: Stop Small Issues from Becoming Big Problems
Your routine dental checkups are about so much more than checking for cavities and polishing your teeth! Each one includes a thorough examination of your mouth as your dentist looks for early warning signs of issues like:
- Cavities, abscesses, or impacted teeth hidden below the gumline.
- Weakened or damaged teeth that are vulnerable to infection.
- Gum disease, which is a serious bacterial infection that can lead to tooth loss.
- Abnormalities in the soft tissues or oral cancer.
- Systemic health concerns that present symptoms in the mouth, like diabetes, kidney disease, osteoporosis, and many more.
While these issues may not bother you in their earliest stages, leaving them untreated can lead to severe, permanent complications. Thankfully, the earlier these issues are caught, the easier they typically are to treat successfully. Regularly visiting your dentist every six months is essential to spotting and stopping small issues before they become larger problems.
Why a Healthy Smile Is Important COVID-19
Skipping your dental checkup leaves issues like cavities and gum disease untreated, which can trigger an immune response as they worsen. The more energy your immune system spends on combating these problems, the less prepared it will be to fight off viruses like COVID-19. While social distancing is the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19, your regular dental checkup can help lower your risk of developing serious complications from the coronavirus.
Your Las Cruces Dentist’s Commitment to Safety
Thankfully, dental professionals are experts at protecting their patients from infections and dangerous particles while providing care. In these unusual times, a variety of new safety protocols have been established to ensure you are as safe as possible while coming in for your dental checkup during the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
- Advanced COVID-19 training for team members as well as a variety of personal protective equipment.
- Health questionnaire, no-touch temperature check, and anti-microbial mouthwash for each patient before their appointment.
- Sequenced appointment scheduling, virtual waiting rooms, and changes to the reception area to maximize physical space between patients.
- New HEPA air filters, clear plastic barriers, and rigorous cleaning between each patient to stop the spread of germs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of our lives, but it hasn’t changed the importance of routine dental checkups. If you need to visit your dentist, you can feel confident that they are taking every precaution to keep you and your smile as healthy as possible.
About the Practice
At Painted Skies Dental Center, nothing is more important than the wellbeing of our patients, staff, and the entire community of Las Cruces, NM. Drs. Ramon and Natalie Ortiz have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and the recommendations of the CDC. Alongside the rigorous sanitation standards they have always met, they have now implemented 20 additional infection control protocols. Now and always, they encourage their patients to practice excellent at-home oral hygiene and recommend getting their dental checkups every six months. If you’d like to learn more about their Commitment to Safety, more information can be found on their website or at (575) 521-8720.