The common cold is a sickness that is quite inconvenient. Along with a runny nose, cough, and headaches, the mouth can be affected too. In fact, the cold can affect your mouth in more ways than you might realize, which is why you need to keep your smile in mind when you’re sick. Some things the cold can do include:

-Cause tooth pain: The largest sinus cavity on your face lies right above your upper jaw. If you have a sinus infection, that cavity fills with fluid. When this happens, the fluid creates a strong pressure that pushes down on the roots of the teeth. This can cause a toothache. Another thing that can cause tooth pain is a cavity from cough and cold medicine. So, please make sure to brush your teeth after you take the liquid medication.

-Cause bad breath: When you have a cold, you develop extra mucus in the nose that leaks to the back of the mouth. When this happens, it creates an environment that bacteria love. In fact, they love it so much that they multiply and grow, creating an odor. This creates bad breath. The best way to prevent this is to keep your nose free of mucus as much as possible by blowing and wiping your nose rather than snorting it into the mouth.

-Cause dry mouth: When you have a cold, it’s oftentimes tough to breathe through the nose. This is because it’s stuffy. To improvise, you breathe through your mouth. As you do this, the mouth becomes dry. This can be dangerous for the smile because saliva washes bacteria away from the teeth and gums. So, make sure to sip on water throughout the day and keep the mouth moist.

Please do your best to take good care of your mouth while you are sick. If you have any questions or if you would like to know more about how to keep your smile in tip-top shape while you’re sick in Burbank, California, please reach out to Dr. Bostani’s Advanced Dental at (818) 918-5533 at your earliest convenience. Our dentist, Dr. Payam Bostani, and dental team look forward to helping you!