Cold and flu season can leave you feeling miserable, but did you know that being sick can also take a toll on your smile? Understanding how illness affects your teeth and taking proper care of your oral health when sick can help protect your teeth from lasting damage. At Sweet Tooth Dental, we want to help you maintain a healthy smile even when you’re under the weather.
How Being Sick Impacts Your Oral Health
Does being sick affect your oral health? Absolutely. When you’re battling a cold or flu, your body goes through changes that can negatively affect your mouth. Several factors come into play during illness that can compromise your dental health.
Dry Mouth and Dehydration
Dehydration is common when you’re sick, especially if you have a fever or aren’t drinking enough fluids. This leads to dry mouth, which means your body produces less saliva. Since saliva production naturally cleanses your mouth and neutralizes acids, having less of it allows bacteria to thrive. This can result in bad breath when sick and increases your risk of cavities.
Mouth Breathing
When congestion hits, mouth breathing becomes your default. Unfortunately, breathing through your mouth dries out your oral tissues even more, compounding the dry mouth problem and creating an environment where bacteria can flourish.
Acid Erosion and Vomiting
Stomach acids are extremely harsh on your tooth enamel. If you’re experiencing vomiting due to the flu, those acids can cause significant enamel damage. Many people wonder, “Should I brush my teeth after throwing up?” It’s actually better to wait to brush after vomiting—we’ll explain why below.
Medications and Your Teeth
While medications help you feel better, they can impact your dental health. Cough syrup and other liquid medicines often contain sugar that coats your teeth. Similarly, many cough drops are loaded with sugar. Whenever possible, opt for sugar-free lozenges to soothe your throat without feeding cavity-causing bacteria.
How to Take Care of Your Teeth When You Have the Flu
Protecting teeth when sick requires some adjustments to your normal routine. Here are our recommendations for dental care during cold and flu season:
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water helps combat dry mouth and keeps saliva flowing. Stay hydrated by sipping water throughout the day, even if you don’t feel particularly thirsty.
Rinse After Vomiting—Don’t Brush Immediately
If you’ve been vomiting, your immediate instinct might be to brush your teeth. However, stomach acid temporarily softens your enamel. Brushing right away can actually scrub away this softened enamel, causing permanent damage. Instead, rinse your mouth with a baking soda rinse (one teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water) or a saltwater rinse to neutralize the acid. Wait at least 30 minutes before gentle brushing.
Continue Brushing and Flossing
Even when you feel awful, maintaining your oral hygiene routine is crucial. Practice gentle brushing twice daily and flossing once a day to remove bacteria and food particles.
Choose Your Medicine Wisely
When selecting over-the-counter medications, check labels for sugar content. Rinse your mouth with water after taking liquid medicine or using sugar-free cough drops to minimize sugar exposure.
Replace Your Toothbrush
Once you’re feeling better, replace your toothbrush immediately. Your old brush may harbor germs that could reinfect you or linger in your mouth.
When to Contact Your Dentist
If you experience severe tooth pain, sinus pressure affecting your upper teeth, or prolonged dry mouth after recovering from illness, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Dr. Nicole Hall and our team at Sweet Tooth Dental offer comprehensive general dentistry services to address any concerns. For urgent issues, our emergency dental care is available to provide prompt relief.
Taking care of your oral health doesn’t have to take a backseat when you’re sick. By following these simple guidelines, you can protect your smile while your body fights off illness. If you have questions or concerns about how illness has affected your teeth, call Sweet Tooth Dental at 602-265-6456 to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help you maintain optimal dental health year-round!
