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What’s the Best Way to Take Care of Your Teeth if You Have the Flu?

  • January 1, 2019
  • 9:07 am
  • Dental Care, Dental Education
  • Dental Care

Flu season is upon us, and there is plenty you can do to try and prevent yourself from catching it. From flu shots to hand sanitizer, there’s still no guarantee that you’ll avoid it completely. If you do end up with the flu this year, taking care of your teeth will probably be the last thing on your mind for at least a few days. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything you can (and should) do to keep your teeth healthy. In this blog, Parkcrest Dental Group’s dental professionals offer some advice for caring for your teeth when you have the flu.

Keeping Your Mouth Clean

It’s especially important to keep your mouth clean when you’re sick, but it can be much harder to brush your teeth properly. If you have the flu, or any kind of sickness that’s making you vomit, it’s best to rinse your mouth out afterward. Brushing your teeth immediately afterward can actually damage your teeth, as the stomach acid coming up will coat them. Brushing risks spreading them over all your teeth, eating away at the enamel. Rinse with water or diluted mouthwash, and wait for about 30 minutes to actually brush.

Sugar-Free Cough Drops

If you’re coughing or suffering from a dry or sore throat, cough drops are a great way to help soothe the symptoms. When it comes to the health of your teeth, you should always make sure to use a sugar-free cough drop. Sugar is a common ingredient in cough drops, which means that overdoing it is risking long-term damage to your teeth. Sugar-free varieties will still offer the same benefits without hurting your teeth.

Stay Hydrated

Staying properly hydrated is essential when you’re sick, especially when it comes to the flu. The best thing you can drink when you’re sick is water, for your body and for your teeth. Certain sports drinks or hot drinks you turn to when sick can help you feel better, but you should use them in moderation. They’re often loaded with sugar, and they may contain lemon, citric acid or other chemicals that can damage your teeth.

Look After Your Overall Health

The flu is often severe, even for those of us who are generally healthy. Make sure you take care of yourself when you’re really sick — follow proper medical advice, stay hydrated, eat small amounts when you can, and keep an eye on your temperature if you have a fever.

Contact Your Professional Dental Team Today

For more advice like this, check our blog archive or contact the office of Parkcrest Dental Group today. We’ve been providing friendly, professional dental services to people in and around Springfield, MO for years — from cosmetic dentistry to pediatrics — and we are ready to help you achieve your perfect smile.

Meet Some Dentists in Springfield, MO

Some of the doctors at Parkcrest Dental Group

Dr. Stuart Scott (top left) is our pediatric dentist. He earned his degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry before completing a two-year residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Steven Harrison (top center) is board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Harrison, our orthodontist, graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He’s been with Parkcrest Dental Group since 1986.

Dr. Chanin Ropka (top right) attended UMKC before joining the United States Navy, where she served as the only dentist on board the USS Germantown and at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Ropka began at Parkcrest Dental in 2001.

Dr. Daniel Fannin (bottom left) graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 1997. He completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency in 1998 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group that same year.

Dr. Steven C. Sponenberg (bottom center) has been a Springfieldian his entire life. He graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2004 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group immediately after.

Dr. Jason Hall (bottom right) is also a native Springfieldian. He earned his DDS from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Dental School in 1997. He came to Parkcrest Dental Group in 2010. Dr. Hall’s father, Stan, is also a dentist.

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