Along with wearing a mask every time you leave the house, thorough and consistent handwashing has been shown to effectively slow the spread of COVID-19. You’ve probably heard that you should wash your hands for 20 seconds several times a day. But, do you know how you should be washing your hands? Are you using the right technique? How can you make sure you’re doing it long enough each and every time? Your dentist in El Reno is happy to share a few tips he and his team have implemented to keep themselves, their patients, and the community safe.

Tip #1: When Should You Wash Your Hands?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highly recommend washing your hands…

• After going to the restroom
• Before eating
• After coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose into your hands (even if you used a tissue)
• Picking up a package
• Grabbing delivered food
• Coming back after leaving the house

Tip #2: How to Wash Your Hands

You probably don’t remember being taught to wash your hands, because you were likely so young that your parents had to hold you up to the sink! Soap and warm running water are a must, and be sure to take the following steps every time:

• Wet your hands before applying soap
• Rub the soap over both sides of your hands
• Make sure to clean between each finger, under your nails, and the pinky side of your hand
• Rinse the soap off with water
• Use a clean towel or paper towel to dry

Tip #3: Stay Safe with a Song

After washing your hands countless times, it can be easy to race through the steps and not take the recommended 20 seconds. A common suggestion is to sing “Happy Birthday” to yourself, but this can quickly get monotonous. Instead, here are a few other songs you can use to ensure you’re giving your hands the time they need:

• The chorus to “Africa” by Toto, which starts “It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you.”
• The chorus to “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, which begins with “You are the dancing queen…”
• The chorus to “Jolene” by Dolly Parton
• The intro or chorus to “Love on Top” by Beyoncé, which begins with “Baby it’s you!”

You’ll probably wish 20 seconds was longer once you get these songs started in your head! Fortunately, your dental team in El Reno is doing much more than practicing “handwashing karaoke” when it comes to COVID-19 safety. Each member of our staff is wearing N95 and ASTM Level 3 masks in our office, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces between every patient, and spacing out appointments to make social distancing nice and easy for everyone. Between our efforts and yours, we can keep the community safe so we can start getting things back to normal as soon as possible!

About the Author

Dr. Adam Cohlmia is a general and family dentist and proud graduate of the OU College of Dentistry. He and the rest of our team here at El Reno Family Dentistry have implemented several additional safety measures in response to COVID-19, which you can read about here. These will ensure you can enjoy peace of mind at your next appointment. If you have any questions about them, or if you’d like to schedule a visit, give us a call today.