The common cold is an inconvenient sickness that involves a runny nose, cough, and plenty of headaches. Unfortunately, it also includes effects to the mouth. This is why you need to be careful and take good care of your smile when you’re sick. If you don’t, your teeth and gums can suffer the consequences. Some of the things a cold can do to your mouth includes:
-Cause tooth pain: If you have a sinus infection, your mouth might be able to feel it. In fact, the largest sinus cavity on your face sits right above the upper jaw. When that is filled with fluid, it applies pressure to the roots of the teeth. This can cause a toothache. In addition, another thing that can cause a toothache is a liquid cough and cold medicine. These medications are filled with sugar, and if you don’t clean your smile after taking them, a cavity could develop.
-Cause bad breath: It’s normal for excess mucus to drip from your nose to the back of the mouth. When this happens, the mucus creates an environment that bacteria love. The bacteria grow and develop at the back of the throat and release an odor, causing bad breath. The best way to prevent this from happening is to blow your nose frequently and reduce the amount of mucus flow to the back of the mouth.
-Cause dry mouth: Having a stuffy or a runny nose makes it difficult to breathe. This often results in the need to breathe through the mouth. When you breathe through the mouth, the saliva dries up, which can make the smile very vulnerable, especially because saliva washes bacteria away frequently. So, make sure to sip on water throughout the day and keep your mouth moist.
If you take good care of your mouth while you’re sick, you’ll be on the right track involved in maintaining a top-notch oral health when you’re sick in Wallingford, Connecticut. Do you have any questions or would you like to know more? If so, our dentist, Dr. Michael P. Gaudio, and dental team are more than happy to help you. All you need to do is dial 203-265-3355 and we will give you the answers and information you’re looking for!