Health Safety Tips from Dr. Galvez
Dr. Galvez is back with health safety tips on proper face masks use, hand washing methods, glove removal techniques & other ways to stay safe in your daily lives when you go out so that you don’t get contaminated & be protected.
Proper Hand Washing Techniques – Health Safety
Hand washing is a crucial part of staying safe and reducing the spread of Covid-19. It’s important to wash your hands regularly and especially before putting on a face mask. Many people wash their hands incorrectly, but once you know how to, the correct method is simple to follow. Here are Dr. Galvez’s ten steps for washing your hands properly:
Step One: Use your elbow to turn on the faucet and wet your hands.
Step Two: Apply one or two pumps of antibacterial soap.
Step Three: Rub your hands together, then open your fingers and rub between them.
Step Four: Wash your thumbs.
Step Five: Open your fingers and wash the back of your fingers and hands.
Step Six: Repeat the cleaning motions for roughly the amount of time it takes to sing the ‘Happy Birthday’ song twice.
Step Seven (optional): If you have long nails, it can be beneficial to use a nail brush, as a lot of bacteria can build up beneath them. Run the brush repeatedly over your nails, being as thorough as possible.
Step Eight: Once your hands are really clean, rinse them with water.
Step Nine: Dry your hands with a paper or cloth towel.
Step Ten: After brushing, or if your skin feels dry, apply lotion. Lotion will help to stop your skin from cracking.
Proper Face Mask Usage
When contaminated saliva droplets come into contract with the eyes, nose, and mouth, it can cause the virus to spread from person to person. Due to this, it’s important to cover these areas when leaving home.
Just wearing a face mask isn’t enough – you need to wear it correctly!
Standard Face Mask:
- Tie your hair back if you have long hair.
- Check the mask for holes or damage.
- Ensure that the metal bar is at the top.
- Place the straps behind each ear.
- Press down on the metal bar until it shows the shape of your nose
- Make sure the bottom of the mask is covering your chin.
Respirator Mask:
- Tie your hair back if you have long hair.
- Put the mask under your chin and pull the loops over your head.
- Position one loop near the top of your head and the second near the bottom.
- Press the metal bar until it shows the shape of your nose.
Once you return home, remove the mask carefully, pulling it over the ears and away from your face by the straps. As the outside of the mask may be contaminated, be careful when removing it and throw it in the trash immediately.
While a mask protects the mouth and nose, it doesn’t do anything to protect your eyes. For better protection, wear glasses when outside your house. These can be prescription glasses, or glasses with fake lenses that you can purchase without a prescription.
In addition to wearing glasses and a face mask, going out with a cap or hoodie on will help to stop the virus attaching to your hair, and provide you with even more protection.
Making Your Own Face Mask
If you don’t own a face mask, then don’t worry! Dr. Galvez has an excellent method for making your own simple and effective face mask with just a bandana and three pieces of paper!
- Fold the bandana into a triangle.
- Place three pieces of paper (stacked) into the middle of the folded bandana.
- Cover your mouth and nose with the bandana (with the tip of the triangle facing downwards).
- Wrap the bandana around your head and bring the ends to the front.
- Tie the ends of the bandana under your chin.
- As before, wear a pair of glasses and a hoodie/cap when leaving the house.
- Once you return home, dispose of the paper, and put your bandana in the wash straight away.
Good Clothes Hygiene – Health Safety
If you have to leave the house, then one of the most beneficial things you can do is keep a good distance from others and go out with a plan – if you’re going to the store, take a list!
Another great tip is to choose one room – like your garage or laundry room – to remove and store your clothes and mask when you get home; if you don’t have much space, you can use a box.
Once you return home, throw all your contaminated clothing items in the box, your laundry basket, or a bag if you do laundry elsewhere. This area is also ideal to store your shoes. Remember that everything you wear outside may be contaminated!
Glove Removal
Much like face masks, many people don’t understand how to use gloves correctly. It’s essential to remember that the outer surface of the glove could be contaminated, so always remove your gloves in the following way:
- Flip your hands so your palms are facing.
- Grab the top of each glove at the wrist.
- Simultaneously pull the gloves down your hands.
- Throw the gloves in the bin, being sure to only touch the inside.
Never touch your mouth or eat anything while wearing gloves!
Beautiful Smiles Dental Center – Open to Attend to Dental Emergencies by Appointment!
Dental Health & Safety is our Top Priority
We support the government’s initiative in fighting COVID-19 by implementing new protocols like limiting the number of patients that enter the building & allowing high-risk patients a special time for appointments. As always, we adhere and exceed all OSHA and CDC recommendations to ensure we provide you with the safest and most comfortable environment during your dental visits.
Fully benefit from our expert dental team – we want you to stay safe and be healthy! We are at your service when you need us most & look forward to your call. For dental emergencies in Gurnee, Waukegan, & the Park City IL area, contact Beautiful Smiles Dental Center today!
