Of course, catching the common cold is not going to immediately result in the formation of a cavity. However, when you find yourself congested and in bed due to illness, you may unknowingly be creating just the right environment for tooth decay to develop. Fortunately, we have a lot of expert advice in this area that can help you sail through your recovery from the sniffles without putting your oral health at risk. Take some simple, solid advice to heart!
Addressing Dry Mouth
When you are dealing with the common cold, you are generally “stuffed up,” which means your nasal congestion is forcing you to breathe through your mouth. As you do this, the saliva in your mouth dries, leaving you with “dry mouth.” Unfortunately, this is bad for your oral health because you need saliva to rinse bacteria and food away, so you can avoid decay, bad breath, and more. Address this issue by addressing your congestion, by using a humidifier, and by sipping on water.
Keeping Up With Dental Hygiene
Just because you’re sick, you don’t get a free pass to skip your dental hygiene sessions. Your oral health still depends on brushing and flossing, so do your very best to do so according to our usual guidelines.
Choosing Water Over Acidic, Sugary Drinks
When you’re sick, you need to ensure you remain hydrated, which might include drinking sports drinks or juices. We suggest you stick with water instead (when you can) to avoid coating your teeth (and leaving them coated) in sugar or acids, which can lead to oral health problems. Water, of course, is always safe.
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