Local dentist: ‘Quarantine is a good time for dental hygiene’

Published 8:14 pm Friday, March 20, 2020

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With COVID-19 getting closer to home several dentist offices are closing, but local dentist Gantt Eiland said it is a perfect time to work on dental hygiene.

“The two most important things are diet and hygiene anytime you eat sugar food or soft drinks make sure you rinse your mouth out with water or brush your teeth. Make sure you brush your teeth before bed. Also sure you do not eat anything else after that.”

Eiland said this is a great time to educate children on brushing and flossing their teeth.

“The truth is that for an unknown amount of time in the future it is going to be a little harder to access dental care and when it does reopen there will be a backlog,” Eiland said. “So make sure you watch what your kids eat and drink and supervise them brushing. The Pediatric Dental Association recommends supervising children until age ten while cleaning teeth.”

Andalusia Dental Group is postponing all elective dental procedures for the next three weeks.

They said they would continue to be available for emergency care.

Dentist John Ward made the call on Wednesday to temporarily close his office

“It is the recommendation of the ADPH that all non-urgent dental procedures between Thu., March 19, and Fri., April 10, be postponed,” Ward said. “We can not perform any treatment that is not an urgency. Our office will be closed for anything other than dental emergencies. If you are in pain, we will be in the office from noon until 2 p.m., on Mondays through Thursdays for emergency treatment only. When the proclamation has been lifted, we will resume regularly scheduled appointments. We will keep you updated by e-mail and Facebook.”