Tips for Keeping Your Teeth Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

It’s the time of year when life gets a little bit more stressful. The holidays are approaching, the weather is getting cooler, and you just feel like you’re running a mile a minute. This is also the time when our bodies can become tired and rundown, causing us to get sick.

Yes, cold and flu season is upon us, which means taking steps to avoid getting sick and taking care of ourselves should make their way to the top of our priority list. After all, you can’t get much done if you’re sick and laying in bed. So this season, remember to keep your whole body, even your smile, in mind. Here are our tips for keeping your teeth healthy during cold and flu season.

Stay Hydrated

You know it’s important to get the recommended eight glasses of water each day to aid in our overall health and wellness, but did you know it’s also important for your oral health? If you’re not properly hydrated, you are at risk for becoming sick. When we can’t properly breathe through our nose, normally it results in us breathing through our mouth, which can increase our chances for cavities and gum disease. With a dry mouth or lack of saliva, our bodies can’t control harmful bacteria properly. To avoid this, be sure to drink enough water at all times.

Keep Your Teeth Clean

Proper oral hygiene is so important in many aspects of our lives. Being sure to brush and floss regularly and correctly can help prevent bacteria from building up in the mouth. Failure to maintain your oral hygiene can result in illness, tooth decay, gum disease, or even more serious conditions. Do yourself (and your health) a favor and take care of your teeth and gums.

Be Mindful of Sugar Intake

Sugar can wreak havoc not only on our oral health, but our overall health as well. If you’re sick, it’s a good idea to stick to sugar-free cough drops to avoid the build-up of bacteria and plaque, and the formation of cavities. Or if you have certain type of cough drop that works best and isn’t sugar-free, be sure to brush your teeth after taking one instead of letting the sugar remain on your teeth all day or overnight.

Other Helpful Tips

With a mounting to-do list and the amount of holiday activities on your calendar, taking care of yourself can sometimes fall by the wayside. Remember some other helpful tricks this cold and flu season, including:

• Replace your toothbrush if you’ve been sick.
• Use a quality mouthwash to kill bacteria.
• Stick to water as your beverage of choice.
• Maintain a proper overall hygiene routine to avoid getting sick.

Keep yourself healthy, including your teeth, so you can enjoy the season and all the festivities it brings.

The Charleston Orthodontic Specialists team is excited to help you with your smile! Call (843) 4-BRACES to schedule a free exam and get started.