The Importance Of Caring For Your Oral Health While Sick

Winter is a common time for illness, but there are still plenty of viruses that can impact your summer plans. While we hope our patients remain healthy this summer, we want to stress the importance of caring for your oral health even when you are not feeling your best. There are also changes that you should make in your oral hygiene routine to accommodate for your illness and to help you from reinfecting yourself or a loved one.

Clean Your Teeth
When you aren’t feeling the best and it is difficult to move around, the last thing you usually feel like doing is brushing your teeth. No matter how poor you may feel, it is always important to clean your teeth especially if you have been vomiting or drinking sugary sports drinks or soft drinks. Cleaning your teeth can also help remove sugar that may be lingering from the use of cough drops.

Replace Your Toothbrush
While you aren’t feeling well, be sure to move your toothbrush away from those in your family. Once you are feeling better we recommend replacing your toothbrush as soon as possible. Toothbrushes carry a number of bacteria that, while healthy, do not cause a problem, but harmful bacteria during illness can lead to reinfection. We also want to give a gentle reminder to only use your own toothbrush and not share with others.

Stay Hydrated
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids when you are not feeling well. Increasing your fluid intake is not only beneficial for your overall health, it can also help prevent dry mouth which can occur during illness and from many prescription and over-the-counter medications.

If you are feeling under the weather, we kindly ask that you reschedule your appointment for a time you are feeling better. If you are feeling healthy and are concerned about the state of your oral health or it has been longer than six months since your last visit, we encourage you to call our office located in Wellington, FL to schedule an appointment.