Social distancing is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. The last thing you need while trying to avoid large crowds is to run out of toothpaste! Thankfully, you can avoid the store by conserving the oral hygiene products you already have at home. Here are a few helpful tips from your Jacksonville dentist to keep your smile clean while also extending the life of your toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash in quarantine.
Track Your Toothpaste Use
Keeping track of how much toothpaste your family uses will help it last much longer. The American Dental Association recommends using:
- A smear of low-fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice for toddlers under three years old.
- A pea-sized drop of low-fluoride children’s toothpaste for kids between the ages of three and six.
- A pea-sized drop of fluoridated adult toothpaste for older children, teens, and adults.
If you do run out of toothpaste, you can make a temporary substitute out of baking soda and water. This mixture will help clear away plaque and remove surface stains, but overuse can lead to weakened, sensitive teeth. Switch back to fluoridated toothpaste as soon as possible.
Measure Your Mouthwash
Mouthwashes and oral rinses are designed to be very effective against bad breath, plaque buildup, and gingivitis in small doses. To wash your mouth out while stuck at home:
- Read the instructions on the label carefully and only use the suggested amount, typically between three and five teaspoons.
- Create a homemade mouthwash if you run out by adding salt, tea tree oil, or crushed aloe vera leaves to a glass of lukewarm water.
Follow Flossing Rules Normally
Instead of worrying about conserving your floss, you should be paying more attention to using enough of it. To keep the small spaces between your teeth clean and healthy, dental experts recommend:
- Using a new, 18-inch piece of floss for each cleaning session.
- Never reusing old floss, even after washing it off, to prevent redepositing plaque and bacteria.
If you’d like to try a longer-lasting alternative, consider switching to a reusable interdental brush or a pre-threaded flosser with a replaceable head.
It’s more important now than ever to keep yourself safe and your smile healthy. Avoid the crowds and stay at home by making the most of your oral hygiene products.
About the Practice
At Jacksonville Complete Dentistry in Jacksonville, FL, we are committed to helping you achieve a better quality of life through improved oral health! Our highly experienced dentists create personalized smile care treatments for each of their patients, and all of them include an essential foundation in preventive dentistry. Although we may be currently closed for routine checkups and cleanings, they encourage all their patients to keep up regular excellent oral hygiene at home and look forward to welcoming you back soon. To stay up to date with our COVID-19 response, feel free to consult our website or call (904) 645-6457.