Kids who enjoy playing sports are definitely doing something positive by staying active and growing strong. But did you know that they’re also putting themselves at risk of mouth injuries? It’s a bit scary, but it’s the truth.

As a parent, being aware of the most common kids sports injuries that could affect their smile is important. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to take steps to hopefully prevent injuries before they happen—or at least know what swift action to take in the event your little one does get hurt.

While seniors often make it a point to get the medical coverage that they need, they sometimes neglect getting the right dental insurance. This could be a problem, as dental care can become more expensive as you get older and your teeth and gums become increasingly susceptible to a range of conditions. Thankfully, there are a lot of options for seniors who are in search of the ideal dental plan to help cover expenses when they see their dentist.

Are you taking care of someone who is disabled or elderly? While it might seem challenging at first to support their dental health, this is a critical component to an individual’s wellbeing. With the right care, your loved one can have a pain-free mouth, strong teeth and gums, and greater comfort and confidence.

To help you navigate the process of taking care of someone else’s dental health, we’ve compiled a few tips below.

When you aren’t feeling well and you want nothing more than to just sleep until you’re all better, the last thing that you’re probably thinking about is getting out of bed and brushing your teeth. Unfortunately, that could mean that your oral health takes an unexpected hit. So, to keep yourself on track, especially if you’ve been working hard to keep your teeth and gums strong, check out the tips below for keeping your teeth and mouth clean while you’re sick.

Brush Whenever You Can

It might be challenging, especially when you’re really sick with the flu, but brushing your teeth every day will help keep your mouth clean, and it might even help you feel a bit more refreshed. Even if you can’t manage to brush your teeth twice a day, aim to brush at least once a day. Or you might try to just brush after you eat so that you can remove food particles that would otherwise remain in your mouth while you get some extra rest.

To remain on course with your flossing routine, consider keeping some floss on your nightstand so that you can reach over and clean in between your teeth even if you’re too tired to get out of bed. Hey, we know it sounds a little weird, but it’s better than not flossing at all, right?

If you are way too fatigued to brush your teeth and/or floss, try to at least use an antibacterial mouthwash a few times a day. This could help kill germs and keep your teeth and gums cleaner when you aren’t brushing as often as you normally would.

Vomiting? Be Sure to Rinse Your Mouth!

A range of illnesses could cause nausea and vomiting, and that means that damaging stomach acid will end up in your mouth and on your teeth. Ugh! You might assume that brushing your teeth right away is a good idea, but think again. It’s actually better to just swish with water and spit after you vomit. That’s because brushing right away could cause you to get all of that nasty acid all over your enamel. And you certainly don’t want that!

Want something more refreshing than plain water? You could also swish and spit with diluted mouthwash, or you could mix a teaspoon of baking soda in some water. Either way, the goal is to rinse the acid off your teeth and down the drain where it belongs. Then, wait about 30 minutes before brushing your teeth if you’re feeling up for it.

Stick with Sugar-Free Cough Drops and Beverages

Cough drops can help you feel better by suppressing your cough or soothing your sore throat when you’re sick, and they could also help increase saliva production to reduce dry mouth. But if you’re going to use cough drops, it’s a great idea to avoid those that contain sugar, so check the label to make sure the ingredients don’t include sugar, corn syrup, or fructose. Otherwise, you might end up using cough drops that could actually contribute to the formation of cavities. Not cool!

The same goes for what you drink. Sure, it might be wise to consume sports drinks, which are often recommended to replace lost electrolytes when you’re sick, but have them in moderation if they contain sugar. And if you opt to drink some soothing tea, consider skipping the acidic lemon or cavity-causing sugar that you might be tempted to add to it.  

Hydrate Your Body and Combat Dry Mouth with Pure Water

Dehydration is a scary side effect that might occur when you’re under the weather, and drinking plenty of pure water could be an ideal solution. Plus, keeping your body hydrated might also reduce the occurrence of dry mouth, which could even be a side effect of medications that you’re taking to get better.

Why is it so important to combat dry mouth? Well, it could increase the risk of developing cavities, on top of being really uncomfortable. But, again, it’s a good idea to avoid sugary beverages when you’re working on staying hydrated. So when your doctor tells you to drink fluids, it’s probably best to stick with plain ol’ water.

Do You Need to Replace Your Toothbrush?

Many people like to disinfect their toothbrush routinely, and you can certainly continue doing that while you’re sick and even after you’ve recovered, as it might help kill off any bacteria that may still be present on the brush. Another option is to just replace your toothbrush, especially if it’s about three or four months old and it’s time for a change anyway. But, according to experts, the odds of reinfection are slim, so you actually don’t have to replace a toothbrush after you overcome a cold or the flu, unless you have a severely compromised immune system.

Get Well Soon!

After taking some medicine and getting plenty of rest, you’ll be back on your feet in no time. And with the tips above, your mouth could be just as healthy and clean as it was before you got sick. To be absolutely sure that your teeth and gums are in tip-top shape, though, consider making an appointment with your dentist for a professional cleaning and a checkup once you’re all better.  

Sources:

• https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/c/cold-and-flu-season  
• https://www.bluehillsdental.com/news/what-happens-your-teeth-when-you’re-sick
• http://dg-dentistry.com/5-tips-help-maintain-oral-hygiene-youre-sick/

You use your toothbrush every day to thoroughly clean your mouth, but should you be making it a point to routinely disinfect your toothbrush? Will disinfecting your toothbrush help prevent the spread of colds or the flu? Is disinfection even really necessary, or is simply rinsing your brush enough?

Dental implants are a popular option for restoring your smile when you lose one or more teeth for any reason. As one of modern dentistry’s greatest innovations, more and more patients are opting to go with dental implants instead of bridgework or dentures.

Did you know that how much you weigh could have an impact on your teeth and gums, and that following the wrong diet might adversely affect your oral health? That’s right, there’s a connection between your weight and your dental health. Who knew?!

Do you grind your teeth at night? If your loved one has heard you grinding your teeth, or if you experience symptoms like jaw soreness or headaches, you might be clenching your teeth or grinding them while you’re fast asleep. And if that’s the case, it’s important to tackle this problem, which is referred to as bruxism. Otherwise, it could result in damage to your teeth over time.

What can you do if you find out that you’re a nighttime teeth grinder? Well, there are a few steps that you can take, so consider trying the following tips to get some relief.

Dental implants: modern dentistry’s tool for restoring a beautiful smile when your natural teeth have been irreparably damaged or lost. This procedure is a wonderful alternative to other restoration options, such as bridgework, and the end result is teeth that look, feel, and function just like real teeth. What more could you ask for, right?

Want to know more about dental implants and why they’re so fantastic? We’ve compiled a few quick facts below to give you the ins and outs of implants and to help you become a more informed patient.

Dental insurance might seem like just another unwanted expense at first, but once you learn why this type of insurance is so important, you’ll realize that it’s definitely worth it. Here are a few of the top reasons why investing in solid dental coverage will give you peace of mind and help you save money in the long run. And, believe it or not, dental insurance doesn’t have to be expensive either!

Unhappy with the alignment of your teeth? No worries; there are a variety of braces that could fix the problem and give you the straight smile that you’ve always wanted!

We’ve outlined the main types of braces that are available for both children and adults so that you can get an idea of what your options are. Check out the information below and then talk to your orthodontist to find out which braces would work best on your teeth.

Here at Spirit Dental, we’re always in search of ways to give back and do more to help others in need. Our latest initiative with the Smile Network is something that we are really excited about, and we think you’ll be too!

The world of dental care is filled with its own terms that you might have never heard of before. And that could make things pretty confusing pretty quickly. So knowing a variety of dental terms before your appointment could help ensure that you won’t be caught off guard when your dentist throws a new word at you. Plus, when you’re more informed, you might even have fewer questions to ask your dentist, or you might be ready to ask more in-depth questions about your oral health and treatment options.

To help you become a more empowered dental patient, we’ve compiled a list of some of the many dental terms that you ought to know.

Did you know that it’s a good idea to take extra steps to maintain your dental hygiene while you’re pregnant? There’s a connection between your pregnancy and your oral health, and how you take care of your mouth could even have an impact on the well-being of your child. So check out the prenatal oral care tips below to ensure you can keep both your mouth and your baby as healthy as possible.

Like other aspects of our health, our teeth and gums become increasingly vulnerable to a range of conditions as we get older. But all hope is certainly not lost. Simply being aware of the risks, and taking the appropriate steps to minimize those risks, could help you maintain that gorgeous smile long into your golden years.

One of the most important decisions that you will make for your newborn is whether or not you will breastfeed. And you might already know about some of the many benefits that your milk could provide to your baby, such as a boost to his or her immune system. But what about your baby’s dental health? And what about your dental health? Is there a connection between oral health and breastfeeding, for both mom and baby?

As we move into 2018 and start a new year, we have an opportunity to embrace a fresh start when it comes to our health and wellness. But if you choose a health insurance plan to help cover your medical expenses for the next 12 months, what you might have noticed is that it doesn’t include coverage for dental care. And, unfortunately, that’s the norm.

Whether your insurance provider does not offer dental insurance at all, or they do but you can’t afford their plans, there are other options. Keep reading to learn about how you can bridge the gap between your medical and dental insurance needs.

Do you make it a point to read nutrition labels when you’re shopping for your groceries? Smart strategy! Knowing the ingredients in packaged food, as well as other important tidbits like the number of calories and the amount of fat and cholesterol in a serving, will help you make the best choices for your health.

But did you know that nutrition labels are set to change? We’ve gathered some info on what you can expect, as well as when you can expect these changes to take effect.

Have you ever wondered about how your dental claims are handled after you receive treatment and you have insurance? Below is a quick summary of what your dentist does to ensure proper payment for any procedures that you have undergone, along with a few tips on how to submit a dental claim yourself whenever that’s necessary.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but it’s also the most stressful time of the year, isn’t it? For a lot of people, the holiday season is one that’s filled with busy days, family drama, and concerns about budgeting for gift shopping. So it’s no wonder that so many people start exhibiting some pretty bad habits, like nail-biting, as a result of all of the tension.

Are you the type of person who bites their nails when frazzled? Then you might find yourself chewing on your nails more often than usual as the holidays approach and the year draws to a close. But did you know that this habit could harm your teeth?