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The amount of knowledge we gain everyday in respect to the current COVID-19 crisis is astounding.  We went from not knowing anything about this brand new virus capable of killing millions of people worldwide, to developing multiple (and very effective, I might add) vaccines in less than a year.  As far as medical science is concerned, that's very fast.

Paying close attention and studying the effects of this disease on those who are unlucky enough to contract it has also paid dividends in the form of knowledge.  At first, we had no idea what a best-case/worst case recovery scenario was like.  Thankfully, more than 43 million people across the globe have beaten the disease, so we have a much clearer picture of what to expect after a fight with COVID-19.  Survivors have claimed a laundry list of lingering effects from their bout with the illness, and researchers are starting to bring a comprehensive list into full focus.

The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health Research has been looking into what you should expect after you beat the Coronavirus, and a startling new trend has been identified - tooth loss.  You may have heard that brain fog (that feeling you get when you've had a bit too much cold medicine), COVID-toes, and even hallucinations follow a successful victory over the virus- but now, reports are coming in from around the world that folks are losing their teeth!

According to the SUN, COVID-19 infections may aggravate previously unknown gum disease.  Because it is now considered a respiratory and a blood / vascular disease, researchers believe that the effects on blood vessels that feed the teeth could be so significant - some teeth are essentially starved to death and fall out!

Studies are still being conducted to prove a more than theoretical connection with COVID-19 and tooth loss, but with several instances in the UK and the U.S. (where dental health is widely considered more of a priority) researchers believe there may be something to this.  It is also a distinct possibility that this could be a result of millions and millions of cancelled/postponed dental appointments and poor hygiene.

Honestly, this is one of my worst re-occurring nightmares.  Everything is going fine in my dream, when my teeth start to fall out one by one.  It's terrifying!  Either way, it's time for me to find a great dentist in the Shreveport / Bossier city area - and maybe a psychiatrist.

Here are some tips for self-care during the pandemic:

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