Renewing your dental insurance may not have been high up your priority list since the pandemic hit last year, but recent information from Canadian dentists has revealed that COVID has left us with an unexpected side effect – an increased need for dental care.
We hope you’ve not needed urgent dental care during COVID, but Canadian dentists have now revealed that dental cases are climbing, which doesn’t bode well with increased waitlist times. Delaying dental procedures can cause them to compound and cause irreparable damage to your teeth and gums. Your dental insurance is now, more than ever, the key to maintaining great dental hygiene that will last you a lifetime.
What do the studies say?
As surprising as it sounds, dental issues are on the rise as a direct effect of the pandemic. We’ve all been prone to bouts of tension and anxiety since COVID began, and with good reasons, but this can often manifest as teeth-grinding or jaw-clenching during the day or while we sleep. Do this often enough and you can weaken or even chip your enamel or cause nerve damage. Dentists across Canada say they have seen a sharp increase in patients with unexplained jaw or dental pain caused by these habits. You should also seek assistance if you have been waking with frequent headaches.
Mask mouth
When we wear masks, we automatically switch to breathing through our mouth – a great safety mechanism when diving or protecting ourselves from dangerous chemicals. Prolonged use of COVID masks while breathing through our mouths can have side effects. If you have been suffering from a dry mouth, you might have “mask mouth” – a condition discovered by the University of Alberta. Breathing through our mouths is fine in regular amounts but do so often enough and you leave yourself open to an increased risk of gum disease.
Compounding the issue
Of course, jaw-clenching and minor gum disease shouldn’t be long-term issues. We’re great as a nation at visiting our dentists for check-ups and cleans. Unfortunately, we’ve been thrown several curveballs. Due to COVID restrictions, many dentists are unable to see their normal level of patients causing wait times to be extended significantly. While you wait for simple, routine dental care you could be causing further damage to your mouth and your underlying health.
Why it matters
A recent study in Qatar found that people with severe gum disease (i.e., gum disease that had remained untreated) were three times more likely to suffer more severe side effects of COVID and even had an increased mortality rate. COVID has shown us the extreme importance of great underlying health and that includes dental health.
What can I do about it?
If you have dental issues during COVID you may find it difficult to get an appointment or be nervous about entering a public clinic. Dental insurance during COVID might not be your top priority but, if it puts you in the hands of a top dentist sooner, it is money well spent. Our dental insurance starts from as little as $33 a month and is sold individually or can be added to a health plan.
Be informed; get in touch
Don’t let COVID take away your future smile. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you would like to discuss our dental coverage, please get in touch for a free quote or contact us directly for more information. Let’s be healthy, together.
Blue Country Insurance – all your protection under one roof… because your health and life matters.
