The Importance Of Caring For Your Teeth When You Are Sick
We don’t know about you, but we could not be more excited for the arrival of the holiday season and the new year. What we are not excited about is the season when family and friends get the sniffles and other illnesses. If you or a loved one should happen to fall ill, there are certain precautions you need to take with your teeth and gums to ensure that your oral health doesn’t suffer.
Ways to Care For Your Mouth When You Are Sick
When you aren’t feeling your best, the last thing you’re thinking about is your oral health. However, when your teeth are not cared for properly, it can lead to issues with decay and other oral health complications. Here are some tips to keep your teeth healthy even when your body might not be:
Continue to Brush and Floss
When you are sick, you most likely do not want to think about caring for your teeth; however, it is extremely important that you continue to brush and floss like normal. This is especially important if you are vomiting. Lingering bacteria and acid on the teeth can cause tooth decay and other issues, such as gum disease.
Replace Your Toothbrush
Did you know that you should replace your toothbrush after you are sick? Harmful bacteria can linger on your toothbrush and reinfect you or even a loved one by touching their toothbrush. Replacing your toothbrush immediately after you’ve been ill eliminates this risk.
Look for Sugar-Free Options
If you are choosing to drink a soft drink or a sports drink, we encourage you to choose sugar-free. There are also sugar-free cough drops and syrups available. When you are continuously drinking or sucking on a cough drop, the lingering sugar can cause serious damage to your teeth.
We kindly ask that you reschedule your appointment if you are feeling under the weather. If you are feeling healthy and are concerned about the state of your oral health, or it has been quite a while since your last visit, we encourage you to call our office, which is located in Wilmington, DE, to schedule an appointment. We are also happy to welcome patients from Pike Creek and Newark, DE. We wish you health and wellness during the holiday season and into the new year.
