It’s cold and flu season, which means that many of us will end up feeling under the weather before winter ends. At Central Park Dentistry, we know that dental hygiene may be of low importance to you when you’re not feeling well, but it is necessary to remember to care for your smile while caring for your symptoms. In today’s blog, your Charles City, IA, family dentist will give some tips to help the whole family easily care for their teeth in times of illness.
Sugar-Free Options Are Best
There are several things that we eat, drink, or otherwise take in when we’re sick that we may not think very hard about out of habit, such as electrolyte-filled sports drinks, cough drops, hot beverages, and liquid medicines. However, these drinks and symptom managers can often be full of sugar, which, especially if you’re already letting your oral health habits drop off when you’re sick, can spell disaster for your teeth, causing cavities and tooth decay. So, it is always best to opt for sugar free lozenges, drinks, and medicines, to keep the bacteria on your teeth from feasting on extra sugar and to keep you from needing a filling.
Keep Brushing Daily
Even if you don’t feel like it, getting up to brush and floss your teeth each day when you’re sick is imperative to reduce your chance of developing cavities. Plus, when we clean our teeth, it helps us to feel cleaner and healthier all over, which can be beneficial as we’re recovering from illness. Just be sure that you’re not sharing your toothbrush with anyone, especially when you’re sick, and that you are storing it upright so that it can dry thoroughly, creating a less welcoming environment for bacteria and viruses.
Know When to Wait
Unfortunately, when we’re sick (especially with the flu), we may experience vomiting as a symptom. At Central Park Dentistry, we know how that makes your mouth feel, and that you may want to brush your teeth right away, but it’s actually better to wait. After vomiting, our teeth become covered in abrasive stomach acid, which only gets moved around, not removed, if we brush right away. So, it is better to rinse your mouth, swishing thoroughly, with water or mouthwash- or a diluted mixture of both- to initially cleanse your mouth, then wait about thirty minutes before brushing your teeth for the best results.
Want That Clean Mouth Feeling?
Unfortunately, sickness happens to everyone, young and old, but so does tooth decay if we’re not careful! If you have been sick, or if it’s time for your six month checkup and cleaning, schedule a visit by calling Central Park Dentistry in Charles City, IA, today at (641) 228-1115. We also proudly welcome patients from Greene, Nashua, and all surrounding communities.
