Dental Health Tips When You Are Under the Weather

Submitted by Dr. Samir Ayoub on February 2, 2020 - 9:00 am

Feeling under the weather? If so, it can be difficult to maintain a regular dental hygiene routine. However, maintaining a proper oral care plan throughout your sickness is very important. Below, Dr. Ayoub of San Francisco Aesthetic Dentistry outlines his top five tips for proper dental care when you’re not feeling your best.

Stick With Your Schedule

Shove the sniffles aside and be sure to brush and floss regularly. The prospect of getting out of bed while sick might seem daunting, but a quality brushing will leave you feeling both clean and refreshed. Dr. Ayoub recommends that you floss and brush your teeth for at least two minutes, twice a day.

Drop the Sugar

Unfortunately, many common over-the-counter cold medicines contain high amounts of sugar. Do your best to avoid cough drops and cold medicines that are high in processed sugar — as sugar is a prime contributor to cavities.

While they might taste good, sugary cough drops are akin to letting a piece of candy sit in your mouth for an extended period of time. Stick with sugar-free alternatives!

Drink, Drink and Drink Some More … Water

Staying properly hydrated is one of the best ways to help your body recover from an illness. When it comes to oral health, dry mouth is a serious concern — a cold that makes it difficult to breathe through your nose compounds this effect.

Saliva is one of your body’s first lines of defense against cavities, periodontal disease and other dental health problems. The more you hydrate, the better.

Rinse and Spit

If you’re suffering from bouts of vomiting, be sure to rinse your mouth out immediately after. Not only does a good rinse get the taste of vomit out of your mouth, but you’ll keep those harmful stomach acids away from the surface of your teeth.

Rinse your mouth out with water (feel free to mix in a dash of baking soda as well) or a watered-down mouth wash. Avoid brushing your teeth immediately after vomiting — you don’t want to help the stomach acid damage your teeth!

Ditch the Old Toothbrush

Once you’re on the mend, ditch your old toothbrush. While the chances of re-infecting yourself are low, there’s no harm in starting fresh with a new toothbrush.

Questions? Contact Our Office Today!

With more than 40 years of expert restorative and cosmetic dental experience, Dr. Ayoub has the knowledge and skill to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Please contact our San Francisco office at to schedule a consultation today.