COVID-19 and Your Oral Health Q&A with Delta Dental’s Dr. Keith Libou
Dr. Keith Libou serves as Chief Clinical Officer at Delta Dental of New Jersey, the state’s leading dental benefits carrier. He is licensed to practice dentistry in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. In this Q&A, he addresses many common oral health and dentistry questions to help keep New Jersey residents informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Why is it important to take care of your oral health during the COVID-19 crisis? First and foremost — with dental offices temporarily closed for routine visits, and most dentists only seeing patients for emergency dental care, the last thing you want right now is a dental problem. Unless you are experiencing a true dental emergency, such as severe pain, swelling, or persistent bleeding, it is very unlikely that you will be able to be seen for less-serious dental problems. Of course, oral health should be a priority all the time. There is a significant connection between oral health and overall wellness. In addition to the obvious things like brushing and flossing, with the limited access to dental care during the COVID-19 healthcare crisis, taking extra steps to minimize the chance of an emergency is more important than ever. Don’t chew on ice cubes or anything hard (think about 18
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May 2020
cutting that apple into slices). Avoid sticky candy (they can rip out fillings and crowns). And keep in mind that the healthier you are, the more successfully you may fight off illnesses in general. It’s in everyone’s best interest to steer clear of any possible infections, which could lower your immunity, and bleeding gums happen because they are infected. If you have bleeding gums due to gingivitis, then your body is launching an inflammatory response. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that your immune system is compromised, you would still be dealing with an infection in your body (your gums). If someone does believe they have a dental emergency, what should they do? If you think you have a true emergency, the first thing you should do is contact your personal dentist. Even if they are not available, they will likely be referring patients to other
