How to Protect Your Teeth If You Suffer from the Flu Posted on 10/20/2017 by Sundberg Office Having the flu is not any fun. Between the aches, pains, shivers, chills, and bouts of nausea, most people find it to be a wholly unpleasant experience. Unfortunately, illnesses such as the flu are simply a part of life, and there is not much that can be done to avoid them entirely. However, if you do have the flu-or any other illness that involves nausea and potentially vomiting-there are a few things you should keep in mind regarding your teeth. By taking steps now to understand the issue, you can act to protect your teeth in the event that you do get sick.
The Flu and Your Teeth
As you know, part of getting the flu is often getting sick to your stomach-vomiting, to put it bluntly. When you vomit, your teeth can be exposed to highly caustic stomach acids. Normally, these acids remain in your stomach, where a special liner keeps them from escaping into the body and causing damage. However, when you vomit, these acids come up-along with whatever food you have eaten-and coat your teeth. Left unattended, these acids can quickly cause significant tooth damage. As such, if you do have to vomit, it is absolutely crucial that you vigorously rinse out your mouth afterward. If you are able to, it would be best to brush your teeth very thoroughly after rinsing in order to ensure you have removed all the acids. Other Steps to Take In addition to rinsing and brushing after you are ill, if you are able to take anti-nausea medications you may be able to avoid vomiting altogether. This can help protect your teeth from the damaging stomach acids.Getting sick is never fun. However, when it does happen, keep these tips in mind. Your teeth will be better for it. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (503) 546-9079 today.