When you are down with cold or are not feeling well, resting in bed might be the only thing you would want to do most of the time. However, it is still important to take care of your dental health while you are sick. After all, the mouth is a window into the health of the body.

Here are four simple ways to care for your dental health when you’re feeling unwell.

Maintain good oral hygiene

It might be tempting to forgo brushing and flossing while you’re unwell, but maintain these practices for good oral hygiene.

Remember that you should not share your toothbrush with anyone at any time (no matter how close both of you are), and this applies all the more when you’re sick. This is to prevent any flu virus and bacteria from spreading.

Opt for sugar-free cough drops

Many cough drops contain sugar which makes consuming cough drops like like sucking on candies. The longer the sugar remains in the mouth, the more time bacteria has to interact with the sugar to cause cavities in your teeth. Therefore, look for cough drops that do not have sugar in the list of ingredients (ie. glucose, fructose, corn syrup etc).

Rinse after vomiting

Vomit comes as a side effect for various sicknesses, including food poisoning. You may be tempted to brush your teeth to remove the aftertaste but a better solution for your teeth would be to rinse with water or non-alcohol mouthrinse instead.

Brushing immediately would coat your teeth with the stomach acids that have been expelled out, causing the erosion of the tooth’s enamel.

Hydrate yourself

Drinking up is one of the most common advice you’ll hear when you’re unwell. It helps your body in various ways and it prevents dry mouth. The lack of saliva increases the risk for cavities. Certain medications which causes dry mouth includes antihistamines, decongestants or pain relievers. Therefore, if you are consuming any of these medications, all the more you would need to drink up.

As for which liquid to consume, the best would be water – which has no sugar and is non-acidic.

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