By now, we should all understand the link between the mouth and the rest of the body. Poorer cardiovascular health, diabetes and un-checked infections are all linked with oral health.
So it should come at no surprise that recent research has found a link between poor oral hygiene and severity of Coronavirus.
According to the study carried out by British researchers:
“…during lung infection, there is a risk of aspirating the oral secretions into the lungs, which could cause infection.”
Whilst this is always a risk, when the lung function is reduced with COVID-19, this additional bacterial load from the mouth can be extremely harmful. As the study says;
”Oral hygiene (should) be maintained, if not improved, during a SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to reduce the bacterial load in the mouth and the potential risk of bacterial superinfection.”
Don’t underestimate the importance of regular brushing, flossing and oral hygiene maintenance. What you do at home is always the most important thing for your dental health.
If you’re due for a dental appointment, we can help decrease that bacterial load with a professional clean and ensure there’s nothing else lurking in there. It looks like COVID19 won’t be going away any time soon, so remember to keep on top of your oral health!
You can read more about the study here:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200630/Oral-hygiene-and-severity-of-COVID-19-e28093-the-connection.aspx