Fall and winter means a lot of amazing things in Michigan – the leaves change colors, holidays are in full swing, and kids are learning a lot in their new school year. However, with the cooler air, people tend to be inside in tighter quarters and children are notorious for their more lackadaisacal approach to personal hygiene and the prevention of germ spreading.
The overal health of the oral cavity can play a big role in avoiding illness during this season of heightened cold and flu transmission. Here are some tips for navigating through the cough, cold and flu season unscathed.
What to do during a viral infection:
The cold or flu virus is most often contracted through the mouth or nasal cavity as it floats in the air after someone who is sick sneezes or coughs. It then sticks to the mucosal layers in our throat. This is why kids and adults alike begin a cold with a sore or itchy throat.
- Drink plenty of water. It is possible that some virus transmission could be prevented if it is washed away quickly. You will also have less mucous lingering in the back of your throat with frequent swallowing of liquids.
- When the virus is at work, coughing and sore throats are unavoidable and difficult to deal with. Lozenges tend to help a lot but are loaded with sugar. It is important to make your child rinses their mouth with water after finishing off a lozenge or cough drop to help protect from cavities.
- Look for sugar-free cough drops, lozenges and syrups, or look for xylitol or natural sucralose in the ingredients.
- If a medication or multivitamin is acidic, sugary or citrusy it is advisable wait at least half an hour before brushing to allow the tooth enamel to remineralize. Tip: Give the medication or vitamins with a meal. The saliva flow when eating helps wash away acids.
- Miserable kids have miserable appetites. If they’re hungry at bedtime, let them eat, but also coax them to brush afterward, or at the very least rinse their mouth with a drink of water to avoid going to bed with food left on the teeth.
- Older kids should gargle with saline water (1 tbsp salt in 1 cup water) or a mouthwash to kill or flush mouth bacteria. This can help speed up recovery.
What to do after recovery from a viral infection:
- Toss out the toothbrush as it will likely still have some virus left on it.
- Continue with the mouthwash or salt water rinses to flush out any lingering mouth bacteria
- Visit your dentist for your regular 6 month checkups. Colds cause dry mouth and when this is combined with sugary medication gum irritation and cavities.
“A lot of times when children are sick we may give them medication or drinks like Gatorade to help them feel better,” says Dr. Mak. “But we do need to consider the amount of sugar intake and make sure they brush or rinse as frequently as they can handle when they aren’t feeling their best!”
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options. We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
