Keep Your Child’s Smile Healthy & Their Immune System Strong

It’s common knowledge that teaching your son or daughter to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash regularly plays a key role in helping prevent cavities and tooth decay. However, did you know that these simple dental habits can play a key role in keeping them healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Teaching your child to care about their oral health early in life will help their immune system stay strong in these uncertain times as well as long after. Read on as your Auburn pediatric dentist explains the connection between your little one’s pearly whites, their immune system, and their overall health.

The Connection Between Oral & Overall Health

A growing body of research indicates that the health of your mouth can have a significant effect on the rest of the body. Oral health issues have been linked to a wide array of serious systemic issues, including heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory infections, and many more. While these serious health concerns are more likely to develop in adulthood after years of poor oral hygiene, there are several ways the health of your child’s smile can impact their general wellbeing too, like:

• Untreated cavities can lead to dental infections, which can spread throughout the mouth and body and cause damage.
• Chipped or cracked teeth expose the sensitive pulp and nerves. Not only is damaged enamel uncomfortable, but it can keep your little one from eating the nutritious meals they need.
• Gum disease can easily result from inadequate flossing. This bacterial infection can cause a variety of serious health concerns, including tooth loss and a reduced immune system.

Linking Oral Health, the Immune System, & COVID-19

When an oral health issue goes untreated long enough, an immune response is triggered. The body’s natural defense works hard to contain dangerous oral bacteria, but it will need help from a dental professional to completely overcome it. In the meantime, the more effort and energy your child’s immune system spends on health issues in the mouth, the less prepared it is to fight off other sicknesses. In short, if your child’s immune system is busy dealing with the effects of untreated cavities and gum disease, it won’t be strong enough to prevent complications from viruses like COVID-19. Thankfully, taking care of your child’s smile can go a long way in helping them stay healthy in these uncertain times.

Keeping Your Child & Their Smile Healthy During COVID-19

Here are a few of the most important safety tips to keep in mind to keep you and your family safe during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Practice social distancing and stay at home as much as you can.
• Remember to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly throughout the day.
• Brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day.
• Floss between your teeth and rinse with mouthwash daily.
• Call your Auburn pediatric dentist right away if your child develops new, worrisome, or uncomfortable dental symptoms.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives, but it hasn’t changed the importance of a healthy smile! Encourage your family to practice great oral hygiene to help keep their immune system strong throughout quarantine as well as long after.

About the Practice

At New England Kids Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics in Auburn, MA, nothing is more important to us than the safety of your family. We firmly believe that preventive dental care and great oral health are fundamental for your son or daughter’s ongoing wellbeing. After closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, we have established 22 additional COVID-19 dental safety protocols. These extra precautions are designed to keep your family as healthy as possible while receiving the dental care they need. If you’d like to learn more about our Commitment to Safety, more information can be found on our website, or you can call (508) 832-6278.