This cold and flu season, our O’Fallon dentists are here to help you properly care for your smile when you’re not feeling your best.
When you’re sick, it can be tough to get through your daily routine; you may be confined to your bed for most of the day. However, taking even some small steps to support your oral health can protect your smile and help you feel better, faster.
If you’re having trouble keeping up with your regular habit of cleaning your smile morning and night, try keeping some floss and mouth rinse next to your bed. You can also make it a point to clean your smile whenever you do happen to be at your sink. Essentially, you want to take any opportunity you can to refresh your mouth.
This is especially true if you have the flu and you have been vomiting. The stomach acid in vomit can damage your oral tissues as well as your teeth. Try to rinse your mouth after such instances, so as to minimize the amount of time that acid is able to sit on your teeth and gums. You don’t want to aggressively brush your teeth right away, as your enamel may be temporarily weakened due to acid exposure.
It’s also important to make sure that the dental tools you’re using are fresh and clean. Do not, for example, re-use sections of floss as you go from tooth to tooth, as this can compound contaminants. You also want to switch out your toothbrush after suffering an illness, because the bristles may harbor harmful bacteria.
As always, our O’Fallon dentists are happy to answer any questions that you may have about caring for your smile day in and day out, including while you’re ill. Give us a call to learn more or to schedule a personal consultation with our team!