TOP ways to take care of your mouth when you are sick:
1. Continue to brush your teeth as usual, 2 times a day. Do not share a toothbrush, especially when you are sick and do not put in one common glass with all the household brushes!
2. Choose sugar-free medicines!
Avoid ingredients such as fructose, corn syrup, honey. Many cough syrups contain sugar. Sugar + microbes = caries. The longer you keep sweet cough drops in your mouth, the worse the effects on your teeth.
3. Rinse your mouth after vomiting!
Do not brush your teeth immediately after vomiting! When you vomit, stomach acid gets on your teeth and coats them. If you brush your teeth right away, you are just smearing this acid, damaging your teeth.
After vomiting, brush your teeth with a mouthwash or diluted mouthwash to help wash away the acid. Spit it out and brush your teeth after about 30 minutes.
4. Chew gum after meals!
Chewing sugar-free gum for 5-10 minutes increases the flow of saliva, which washes away food and other debris, and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. Increased saliva flow also brings with it more calcium and phosphate, which help strengthen tooth enamel.
But don’t substitute chewing for brushing your teeth!
5. Keep the water regime!
Certain medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, or pain relievers can cause dry mouth, so drink plenty of water. Dry mouth can put you at greater risk of cavities.
6. Choose the right hot drinks!
Watch the temperature – not hot and not cold. Less sugar in drinks – instead of it, you can pour a spoonful of honey into tea. You can drink through a straw so that as little sweet / sour as possible gets on your teeth.
Lemon is also a citrus that is quite dangerous for our teeth, do not get carried away with it too often.
When you have a cold or the flu, taking care of yourself is your top priority, including your teeth.
