Oral Health Tips During Cold and Flu Season

05 Feb Oral Health Tips During Cold and Flu Season

Hopefully you don’t get the flu during this winter season, but unfortunately it appears that this year’s flu is especially prevalent, infecting many people in our state. Here’s a few, hopefully, helpful oral health tips when dealing with illness.

We all know that we’re supposed to cover our mouth when we sneeze or cough. But did you know that our toothbrush can be a home for viruses. It’s true. Although the flu virus is supposed to only be able to live for up to seventy-two hours, it’s still possible to infect others. If you share a toothbrush caddy with someone, make sure that your toothbrush doesn’t touch their toothbrush—remove your toothbrush from the caddy if necessary. Also, when we apply toothpaste to our toothbrush we need to be careful that our toothbrush doesn’t touch the rim of the tube of toothpaste. We don’t want to leave behind germs that are so easily picked up by someone else. It’s not entirely necessary to throw away a toothbrush after an illness—if the toothbrush has been in service for more than three months then go ahead and toss it, because it’s time for a new one anyway—because the chances for reinfection are low, but it still may be a good idea to change it out.

Cough drops are especially needed this time of year, but did you know that many cough drops are loaded with sugar; some with as much sugar as normal, everyday hard candies? It’s true. So, make sure to read the packaging before you buy.

This is an important time to stay hydrated—hydrated whether you’re sick or not. When your sick water and fluids help your body fight off illness, but also help to prevent dry mouth. Sometimes when we’re sick, we have trouble taking in fluids and certain foods, and this can lead to dry mouth. Unfortunately, dry mouth can lead to cavities. So, make sure to stay hydrated—water or other electrolyte-type drinks work, but be careful of drinks with high sugar contents.