Don’t Let Illness Lead To Tooth Neglect

Colds, flu and even Covid can lead to poor oral health

Although Covid is still the main virus in the news, many doctors have noted a steep rise in other winter viral infections, with some noting that people have been complaining of having the ‘worst cold ever’. The good news is that these are rarely harmful in the long term although we can often feel quite ill for a while. There is a possibility that some of this is caused by the loss of immunity due to wearing masks and avoiding social contact last winter, an immunity which has to be built up again.

There is plenty of advice online about how to look after yourself if you are unfortunate enough to get one of these viruses (though you should also take a Covid test to be sure). What is often less considered is the impact that these illnesses can have on your teeth and gums. In today’s Alexandra Dental Care blog, we offer some helpful advice for our Burton, Swadlincote and Ashby patients.

Keep to a regular oral health regimen

This is one of the most important things that you can do at any time, and that includes when you are ill with a heavy cold, flu or even Covid. However much you really don’t feel like dragging yourself away from the sofa or bed, you must maintain a good teeth cleaning regime. This does include flossing, and being ill shouldn’t be an excuse to skip it. Failing to brush and floss your teeth when you are ill could well lead to tooth decay and/or gum disease. It might be hard to motivate yourself, but just those few minutes each day can make all the difference.

Hydration

It used to be said that you should drink plenty of fluids to flush viruses from your system. Whilst this is no longer proper medical advice, it remains a fact that staying hydrated is good for you for many reasons. One of these is the health of your teeth and gums. We have mentioned in a number of blogs about how dehydration is a significant factor in many cases of gingivitis and periodontitis. Make sure that you always have water nearby and do try to drink regularly throughout the day to maintain a good level of hydration.

Sickness

One unpleasant aspect of some winter viruses is that they can lead to vomiting. This is obviously unpleasant in itself but it is worth remembering that it can also be harmful to teeth. The stomach acid that passes over our teeth when we vomit is said to be stronger than battery acid, and is why many bulimics have very poor quality teeth. Whilst we can’t stop ourselves from vomiting, there are things that we can do afterwards. Our instincts might tell us to brush our teeth straightaway to take away the taste, but the acids are likely to have softened the enamel and could cause dental erosion if we brush too soon. It is best to leave at least half an hour before brushing your teeth, but it is a good idea to swill water around the mouth and then spit it out soon after vomiting.

Cough and throat sweets

Most cough and cold sweets have been proven to do little to speed up the passage of a cold or flu but they can and do offer us a level of comfort and can also ease the soreness of a throat, at least temporarily. If you do use these, try to stick to sugar free ones. These cough sweets are usually sucked which means that they remain in the mouth for a long time, coating the teeth and gums with potentially harmful sugars.

‘Comfort’ foods and drinks

It is natural, when we feel ill, to reach for the foods and drinks that ‘comfort us’. These are rarely salads and other healthy foods and are more likely to be those which contain high levels of fat and sugar. Whilst fat may not have a direct effect on our teeth, obesity is a major factor in diabetes which can lead to poor oral health. Sugar, as we know, is very harmful to our teeth and whilst it is only natural that we want to eat and drink things that make us feel better, we should take care to keep this in moderation.

Never share a toothbrush

Finally, never share a toothbrush with friends or family. This applies even when you are not ill; and to share when you are is very likely to cause others to catch your virus too. Once you have recovered from your illness, make sure to replace the toothbrush, or head of an electric one, in order to avoid becoming reinfected. If you have had an illness and feel that your teeth might have suffered during it, it is also good advice to see one of the dentists at Alexandra Dental Care as soon as possible. Following an examination, we can make recommendations to help you get your teeth and gums back to good health once again.

If you live in the Burton or Ashby area and would like to find out more about our dental practice, please call us on 01283 216347.

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