The last thing on your mind when you have the flu, is dental health. However, your teeth are extra vulnerable when you get hit with the flu. There are actually some things that you can do to protect your teeth while you are sick. Here are a few tips to help.
Issues The Flu Could Cause
Be careful and pay attention to make sure you do not have dry mouth. When your nose is all stopped up and you can't breathe – the potential is there for you to start breathing out of your mouth, especially at nighttime and so that means your mouth will become dry which creates that environment that bacteria love to thrive in. On top of that, some medications we take during flu season only make it worse, such as those over the counter remedies and decongestants. If we aren't making saliva to fight the bacteria, the risk for tooth decay increases significantly. Just ensure that you are drinking plenty of fluids to fight off that dry mouth while you are feeling sick.
Avoiding Sugar
Sugar is bad for your teeth. It has been drilled into you since you were a child. However, when you are sick, it isn't exactly top of your list of things you are thinking about when you are searching for a cough drop. But when it comes to the cough drops go sugar free. Save that damage to your teeth. When you have the flu, just stick with water. The tendency is to reach for that cup of tea with honey and sugar or an orange juice or sports drink and if you do, remember to rinse with water as soon as you can after drinking them to help protect your mouth from all that sugar. Remember that water will be your best choice when you have the flu. There is a tremendous amount of acid in your vomit, so if you are doing a lot of that, try to rinse your mouth out afterwards as all that acid is bad for your teeth. So, try to remember rinse with water and stay as hydrated as you can. If you need any dental care while you are ill, or have any questions, please call the office. We will get you scheduled in to see our dentist as soon as possible.
Dentist Dacula • Dental Blog • Lanier Valley Dentistry At Lanier Valley Dentistry, we provide an in-depth dental blog to inform our patients and the community about the real issues that affect your oral health. Lanier Valley Dentistry - Dr Colin Lentz, 3635 Braselton Hwy, Suite C, Dacula, GA 30019 / (678) 802-8654 / laniervalleydentistry.com / 4/24/2024 / Page Phrases: dentist Dacula GA /
