Social Distancing: A Hidden Health Risk?

By Jack Taylor Posted February 2, 2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on, millions of Americans are still practicing social distancing as a way to prevent the spread of the virus.  

That means staying out of busy retail stores, avoiding unnecessary face-to-face visits, or even putting off that vacation until things with COVID ‘cool down’… 

And while things like this may continue to be your new ‘normal’ for the time being, becoming TOO isolated from the outside world could present a hidden health risk. 

Especially if you’re an older adult! 

Here’s what we know.  

According to a study out of New York University, older adults in who practice strict social isolation are more likely to have missing teeth AND lose their teeth at a faster rate than people who regularly connect with others.  

While it’s well-documented that being socially isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic was linked to a number of health issues like heart disease and even dementia, this is the first study identifying a decline in oral health as a consequence of social isolation.  

In fact, the study found that socially isolated older adults had 2.1 fewer natural teeth and a 1.4 times faster rate of losing their teeth than others with a more active social life. 

The culprit? 

The study found that the single biggest factor between tooth loss and social isolation was the fact that socially isolated older adults tend to be less engaged in social and health-promoting behaviors like physical activity.  

Staying away from such activities can impact your oral hygiene and increase your risk for systemic inflammation – which is associated with mouth ailments such as plaque and gingivitis.  

Another factor? 

Let’s not forget that many older adults skipped out of many routine medical appointments during the pandemic – including those routine dentist visits!  

In fact, one study found that weekly visits to dental offices during 2020 (the height of COVID) were 34% LOWER than they were pre-COVID.  

So, the takeaway with all of this is simple… 

While it’s still important to take steps to avoid unnecessary exposure to COVID, you should not neglect your oral health in process.  

Continue to visit your dentist for routine checkups every six months. This is the best way to identify and prevent serious mouth issues. And, most (if not all) dentist offices have practices and procedures in place to limit the risk of COVID.