The Common Cold and Your Oral Health

 

   It's winter time again, and along with that much anticipated holiday cheer comes the inevitable cold and flu season. Children in the United States miss about 22 million days of school every year due to the common cold. The average child alone gets between 6-12 colds every year and are two to three times more likely to come down with the flu. Although children are most susceptible to the cold and flu they easily spread their aliments to their caregivers and schoolmates. When you are feeling down and out the last thing many people want to do is worry about their teeth.  However, a few key tips during those down and sick days can help lead you and your family to a speedy recovery without devastation to your oral cavity.

Stay Hydrated: Being made mostly of water, it is nature’s cure for a variety of conditions.  A stuffy and congested nose may cause you to breath through your mouth. Excessive mouth breathing can slow saliva production and make our mouths susceptible to harmful bacteria. Drinking water during a cold also thins mucus and prevents dehydration.  If your child refuses to drink try soups, sugar-free pop cycles or jello.

Use Sugar-free Cough Drops: Many cough syrups and cough drops contain excessive amounts of sugar to make them taste great.  If you are using sugary cough medicines make sure you rinse the residue off your teeth with water and brush before going to bed.  There are xylitol candies and nasal sprays that help fight cavities as well as alleviate sore throat and post nasal drip.

Minimize Sugar Intake:  Refined sugars such as fruit juices and white flour can depress your immune system, which weakens your body’s ability to fight infection on it’s own.

Don't Forget to Brush:  When we are sick we tend to take several naps throughout the day.  Although you are often more tired try to do not forget to before laying down.  Saliva production decreases whir you are sleeping, decreasing the bodies ability to cleanse itself.

Replace your Toothbrush:  Bacteria and viruses can live on your toothbrush for hours or even days on hard surfaces.  The last thing you want to do is reinfect yourself after just getting over an ailment.  Make sure you do not store your toothbrush next to your family members. This could lead to cross-contamination of the new toothbrush and further spread the illness.

Teething and Those Restless Nights

    Teething can be a difficult time for infants and their parents. You may find your baby drooling, chewing on toys or fingers, avoiding certain foods, and unusually cranky or irritable. No parent wants to see their child crying in pain.  
    Teething, however, is a natural part of life.  The greatest discomfort from teething pain occurs in the first 2-3 days that a tooth is erupting. The pain should start to decrease or subside at this time, that is until the next tooth begins to erupt.  
   Although 2-3 days is a short period of time, your baby has 20 teeth to erupt, which could lead to a lot of restless nights.  Luckily, parents have discovered home remedies that can provide your baby with some pain relief during this difficult time.  

• Massage their  Gums: With a clean finger gently massage their gums to help soften gum tissue. Be careful of surrounding teeth to avoid injuring your finger. Avoid medicines or alcohol on the gums, although it may provide temporary relief, your baby may end up swallowing an unsafe amount. 

• Introduce Hard Foods:  Gnawing and chewing can help ease teething pain.  Chunks of apple, carrots and frozen bagels or bananas can provide additional stimulation to sooth those sore gums. Be careful to ensure that no foods present a choking hazard for your child.

• Teething Aids: Many parents have told me their child does not care for teething rings.  An alternative could be soaking a clean washcloth in chamomile tea and placing it in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes until it's slightly crunchy yet soft. 

• Try Grandma's Method: Older generations would often rub clove oil, peeled ginger root or vanilla extract on their baby's gums.  Although this has not been proven by science, many infants have found great relief with this method. Try this on yourself to make sure the taste is tolerable.

• Teething Tablets:  Teething tablets such as Hyland's Tablets, can provide temporary relief by reducing redness and teething discomfort.  These all natural tablets can be found at your local drug store or pharmacy. 

• Pain Medication:  If you child is experiencing a great deal of pain an infant dose of Tylenol may be the only thing to provide your baby the relief they need to go to sleep.  Tylenol will help with fevers as well. Pain medication should only be given for a few days, if severe pain or fevers still persist for over a week in the same area please call your pediatrician or pediatric dentist. 

• When to Call the Doctor: If your baby has an extended duration of pain, has substantial swelling or discoloration of the gums, has drastically decreased their food and liquid intake or developed a fever greater than 101, please visit your child's pediatrician or visit our office to be examined by our pediatric dentist. 

Getting the Most Out of Your Whitening Procedure

   A sparkling white smile can be the key to a more youthful and vibrant appearance.  There are multiple methods out there, such as, in office, and at home whitening. When making a decision about bleaching treatments you need to consider your current level of tooth sensitivity,  budget, and desired results. After your bleaching treatment is complete it is important to follow at home instructions to avoid relapse. 

    Many patients feel frustrated when their whitening results do not last for the long haul.  However, the same habits that lead to tooth discoloration initially could cause a relapse once your whitening procedures are complete.  Try out tips and tricks for maintaining that healthy white smile.

• Avoid dark foods and drinks:  The first few weeks after your whitening procedure you teeth are more susceptible to picking up stain. Anything that can stain your shirt can also stain your teeth. Red wine, teas, dark sodas, dark juices and cigarettes can all seep into the newly opened tubules of your teeth and cause them to discolor rapidly.

• Eat teeth cleansing foods:  Teeth can be naturally cleansed by foods that are firm and crisp such as apples, carrots and celery.  When you cannot get to a toothbrush this is a great alternative

• Don’t forget to rinse: Water is nature’s great neutralizer.  After consuming dark substances rinse with water to cleaning your mouth of dyes and other food debris.

• Eat more strawberries: The malic acid contained in strawberries has natural properties that contribute to tooth whitening.

• Gargle with apple cider vinegar:  This can be done before brushing.  Vinegar is a natural cleansing agent that can help remove stains, kill bacteria and also whiten your teeth.

• Wear red: Red lipstick gives the appearance of a whiter smile by comparison. Avoid getting lipstick on your teeth after the first few days of treatment.

• Brush with baking soda:  In addition to normal brushing, using baking soda once a week can brush your teeth can help keep your teeth sparkling.  The abrasives in baking soda can help remove surface stain and maintain your pretty white smile. Make sure you do not swallow the baking soda or brush too harshly.

• Use your take home bleaching tray: Once any remaining tooth sensitivity from your in office treatment has disappeared you may use your take home bleaching trays.   Make sure to use this product as directed in order to avoid further tooth sensitivity. A calcium phosphate/sodium fluoride toothpaste such as Remin Pro may be recommended if sensitivity persists. 

• Attend regular check ups: Sometimes the plaque or build up on your teeth can harden and form tarter.  Additional debris on your teeth can be magnets for stain. Make sure that you attend your check up every six months to remove excess build up and evaluate your post whitening success.  Call our office today at (703) 499-9779 for your post whitening check-up!