Brushing your teeth could reduce the risk of Covid

Findings suggest good oral hygiene is now more vital than ever

We bet that this is something that practically no one has connected before, but an international team of scientists at Birmingham University has concluded that brushing your teeth twice a day and following a sound oral hygiene routine could significantly lower the risk of falling seriously ill with Coronavirus. Normally the Covid virus enters the body via the throat or nose and travels through the respiratory system to infect the lungs. Now, these experts have said that it is possible for the infection to bypass the airways and to progress directly to the lungs by gaining entry through the gums.

Although this is still a hypothesis, albeit a strong one, it is based on collaboration between medical and dental researchers in the UK, USA and South Africa. Their findings show that a number of Covid patients displayed no signs whatsoever of inflammation in their airways, yet they had a severe infection in their lungs. These conclusions are substantial enough to have the support of NHS professionals and they have been published in the respected Journal of Oral Medicine and Dental Research.

It would also explain why the scientists’ study has found that people with gum disease and a poor oral hygiene practice are far more at risk of suffering severe Covid symptoms.  

The other very significant comment to come out of in the report said that ‘simple oral hygiene’ such as brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for at least 2-minutes plus using a good mouthwash after meals could cut the risk of severe Covid

These latest findings match up very closely with what we at Carisbrook Dental have been saying for years; for your health’s sake you must follow a proven oral hygiene routine. What’s more, our message reflects exactly what was recently stated in the Birmingham University report: Clean your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste for at least 2-minutes twice a day and support this by using a medicated mouthwash after meals..

At Carisbrook, we would go even further than this. Since it now appears extremely likely that the Covid virus can enter the bloodstream via infected gums and or tooth cavities it means that visiting your dentist for a regular check-up examination is crucial.  

So in addition to cleaning your teeth twice a day and using a medicated mouthwash after meals we recommend that you make an examination appointment with our hygiene team to check out the condition of your teeth and gums. If there are signs of any oral hygiene problems then we can probably resolve these there and then before they become serious health issues. Certainly in these days of Covid concerns visiting Carisbrook for regular routine oral health checks makes more sense than ever.

Our team will also provide all the expert and essential oral hygiene guidance you require in order to help ensure you keep your teeth, gums and indeed your entire mouth as healthy and risk-free as is possible.
 Why leave anything to chance? If you would like our oral hygiene team to check out the health of your teeth, gums and mouth then please make an appointment as soon as possible. You can call us now on 0161 766 4906 or alternatively you can contact us by using the online form on our Contact page.