The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, which has been on the decline for a while, is showing signs of a resurgence. As of 00:00 on the 1st, the Central Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters announced that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by 44,689, to a cumulative total of 1,82,739. The number of new confirmed cases on this day increased by 8829 from the 25th of last month (35,860) a week ago, 1.24 times from the previous week. This is 1.7 times compared to the 18th of last month (26,278 people) two weeks ago.
In response, the government is recommending six personal quarantine measures against COVID-19. Among them, it is recommended to take off the mask as short as possible, such as wearing the correct mask, covering the mouth and nose, and eating indoor food. You can see some citizens who take off their masks from time to time outdoors and do outdoor activities, but it seems unlikely that they will be able to easily take off their masks for the time being under these signs of re-spreading.
In this way, while wearing a mask for a long time, leading a daily life, unexpected side effects are sometimes encountered. When breathing while wearing a mask, it sometimes feels cramped, so even people who normally breathe through their noses want to breathe comfortably, so they use mouth breathing. Respiratory disease is one of the things that can happen when you breathe through the mouth. When breathing through the nose, the air inhaled through the nose passes through the maxillary sinuses of the upper jaw through the nasal passages and is delivered to the lungs.
However, if you breathe through mouth instead of nasal breathing, air that is not properly filtered because it does not go through the nasal passages or maxillary sinuses goes directly into the mouth and enters the lungs through the throat. In this case, dry, cold air rich in bacteria or viruses enters the throat, bronchi, and lungs directly. In this case, sore throat, asthma, and pneumonia are more likely to occur. Prolonged oral breathing can also cause dry mouth.
In this case, it not only causes oral infections such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and dental caries, which are typical dental diseases, but also causes the surface of the tongue to become dry and cracked and cause tongue pain. Also, as the saliva (saliva) dries during oral breathing, bacteria in the mouth increase, which can lead to bad breath. Saliva in the oral cavity plays a very important role. Saliva acts as a lubricating agent in the oral cavity to facilitate movement in the mouth, help food mix well, and help swallow food. In addition to protecting the gingival mucosa and teeth in the oral cavity, saliva reduces bacteria in the oral cavity through antibacterial action and maintains oral hygiene.
When wearing a mask, the smooth flow of external air through the mouth and nose is restricted, and air can accumulate between the mask and the mouth, making bad breath worse. Halitosis occurs anywhere in the lungs, bronchi, throat, nasal passages, or oral cavity until air is released from the lungs and out of the mouth, especially when there is a respiratory disease. In a situation where wearing a mask for a long time can cause respiratory diseases, bad breath can get worse.
The hygiene of the mask is important to reduce various side effects caused by wearing the mask for a long time. Avoid using the same mask for a long time because oral bacteria can multiply inside the mask. It is recommended to wear at least one mask per day. If breathing is difficult when wearing a mask, and you frequently breathe through the mouth, a well-ventilated surgical mask to prevent the spread of droplets is recommended. You should also drink water frequently to prevent dry mouth, gargle frequently, and practice basic personal oral hygiene, including brushing your teeth.
In these days when the re-spread of Corona 19 is expected, we hope that you will maintain your oral health by appropriately blocking the side effects of wearing a mask for a long time.
Jaehee Son, Director of CK Dental Hospital
