The importance of managing chronic disease and oral health during COVID-19

If you are concerned about your risk of contracting COVID-19, then you should know that there may be significant opportunities to lower your risk beyond hand washing and social distancing.

If you are fortunate enough to be healthy, it is vitally important to stay that way. And the best ways to stay healthy are to be active, eat nutritious food in proper amounts, keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels in the optimal range and avoid toxins, like smoking and excess alcohol.

What if you already have health issues? It is becoming increasingly apparent that those with weakened immunity, unhealthy weight, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or any form of respiratory disease are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Currently, the fear for COVID-19 infection keeps many people from consulting with their doctor or dentist for managing chronic illnesses or getting proper dental care. Take some time to think about what would be most beneficial for you and your health on the shortand long term. The benefits of taking proper care of yourself and managing chronic illnesses by far outweighs the risks of contracting COVID-19 disease.

By neglecting chronic illness care, you increase your risk for a stroke, heart attack and other life-threatening

situations. You can’t have a healthy body without a healthy mouth. Oral bacteria enter the bloodstream and stick to platelets, which forms blood clots that interrupt the flow of blood to the heart and might ultimately lead to a heart attack. Frequently, a dental examination may first reveal the early signs of oral cancer. Dental practitioners are familiar with the symptoms of oral cancer and under these circumstances, a routine appointment with your dentist could even save your life.

Until we have an effective and safe vaccine, it is important to continue minimizing your risk of getting COVID-19 by washing your hands frequently and

practicing social distancing guidelines. It is equally important to continue with medical and dental checkups and to manage chronic diseases. This will keep you healthy and lower your risks for ending up in hospital, or even die.

Intercare implemented stringent disinfection measures to keep our patients, healthcare professionals and staff safe and to curb the spread of the coronavirus in our facilities. 

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Sources 

Dr R. Todd Hurst, Cardiologist 

https://www.medicinenet.com 

https://www.webmd.com 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html 

https://www.modernhealthcare.com