Flu, Colds And Other Winter Ailments

Illness and the adverse effects on teeth and gums

Now is the season where it is difficult to avoid people coughing and sneezing on buses and other public places. Try as we might to avoid it, the chances are that, at some point during the winter, quite a few of us will have taken to our beds feeling the effects of one of the common winter viruses. In most cases, these will pass with rest and the usual care, but patients of Alexandra Dental Care should also be aware that this period can put extra pressure on their teeth and gums and even result in permanent damage to their teeth.

This isn’t due to the virus itself, but usually from the things that we do to help us recover from it. Although well intentioned and comforting for us, there can be side effects.

Neglect of oral care

This is one of the most important things to take note of. As most of us know, when we feel really ill, the chores of daily life tend to get put to one side until we feel better. Even making the effort to make a cup of tea can seem like really hard work so it is perhaps no surprise that many of us don’t bother cleaning our teeth as often, or as well, as we should. At best, a cursory brushing (and no flossing) is a highly likely scenario.

Skipping cleaning your teeth is a really bad idea at any time but for some of the reasons that we will come to shortly, doing so when you are ill can have a ‘double whammy’ effect. Make sure that however exhausted you feel, you make sure to brush your teeth well twice a day and don’t eat or drink anything but water after you have brushed them at night.

Overindulgence in ‘comfort’ foods

Although our bodies probably need more vitamins and minerals when we are ill, we rarely eat healthily at this time and are more likely to indulge in ‘convenience’ foods and often ones with a high sugar content to give us the energy that we need to get through the day. Added to this, the fact that many of us will take this opportunity to watch Netflix or similar on the sofa, there is a likelihood that snacks and chocolates will be on hand to graze on throughout the day.

Try to avoid overdoing this and eat as healthily as you can. Whatever you do though, make sure to clean your teeth well, especially if you have been overindulging.

Dehydration

We have discussed before, how our Burton and Ashby patients need to stay well hydrated to help in the battle against gum disease. When we are ill, this is especially so, and colds and flus can cause us to become more dehydrated than normal. Some of this may be down to the fact that getting off the sofa to fetch water can seem too big an effort, but it is something that you really should do. Drinking plenty of water will not only help to loosen mucus from your chest but will also stop your mouth from becoming dry and consequently increasing the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis. It will also flush away some of the sugars from foods that you eat as well.

Lemon drinks

Using lemon in hot drinks is a common home remedy for colds and can be very effective, especially when honey is added to help with a sore throat. Be aware though that, in addition to the obvious sugar content in honey, lemon juice is highly acidic and can cause serious damage to the tooth enamel. If this becomes damaged, you could suffer from overly sensitive teeth and also have less protection against decay. Whilst lemon and honey can be effective when you are ill, it is best not to overdo it and again, make sure to maintain good oral cleaning as well.

Cough sweets and syrups

There is some debate as to how beneficial these really are in treating sore throats etc, but they can certainly offer some relief which is what most of us are looking for. Many of them contain high levels of sugar however, and are often kept in the mouth for long periods of time as they are sucked. The stickiness also means that this sugar is likely to remain on your teeth for a very long time. If you feel that you need these, we recommend that you try using a sugar free version as it will help to protect your teeth as well as easing your discomfort.

Vomiting

One of the more unpleasant things that can occur, especially with the flu, is that you might find that you are sick. When this happens, it can be all too tempting to brush your teeth soon afterwards to get rid of the disgusting taste in your mouth. You shouldn’t do this though as your teeth will be coated with stomach acid and all that you would be doing is rubbing that deeper into the tooth. Immediately after vomiting, the best thing that you can do is to swill water around the mouth and spit. Leave at least 30 minutes after vomiting before you clean your teeth.

Your toothbrush

When you have recovered from your illness, we recommend that you dispose of your current toothbrush or head of an eclectic one as viruses may remain on them and possibly re-infect you. Also, please make sure never to share your toothbrush with anyone. This is a bad idea at any time, but doing so when you have a viral infection is simply asking for trouble.

If you would like more information on oral care when you are ill, or if you would like an appointment to see one of the dentists at our Swadlincote practice, please call Alexandra Dental Care on 01283 216347.

Google+