With hurricane season among us, it is a good time to review some “need to knows” about brushing with compromised resources. Here are suggestions for keeping your mouth healthy when in an emergency situation.
If you have access to a toothbrush and are without water, you can still use it to brush the particles off the teeth. Dry brushing stimulates the salivary glands and will provide some natural digestion for the particles as well.
If you have no toothbrush handy, you can use your clean finger with some toothpaste. Remember to spit it out!
Even in a worse-case-scenario, if all you have is a fluoride mouthwash, use it. It may not remove plaque like brushing does, but it will help kill germs and prevent new plaque from forming.
In an emergency situation, it’s easy to grab sugary comfort foods. Instead of empty calorie candy bars that might contribute to tooth decay, try a granola bar instead. The crunchy granola will provide some friction for plaque removal, and some even have good nutritional value!
Shelters and hotels usually provide dental care items for free. Don’t be afraid to ask for them.
Have a safe and healthy hurricane season
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