{"id":105,"date":"2022-11-21T18:22:55","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T18:22:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/?p=105"},"modified":"2022-11-21T18:24:43","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T18:24:43","slug":"4-ways-to-protect-childs-teeth-during-cold-and-flu-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/2022\/11\/21\/4-ways-to-protect-childs-teeth-during-cold-and-flu-season\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Ways to Keep Your Child\u2019s Smile Healthy During Cold &amp; Flu Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AdobeStock_248321645__1669054652_75035-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"a child blowing their nose because they have a cold\" class=\"wp-image-106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AdobeStock_248321645__1669054652_75035-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AdobeStock_248321645__1669054652_75035-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/AdobeStock_248321645__1669054652_75035.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As a parent, you\u2019re likely concerned about your child catching the cold or flu around this time of year from one of their classmates and bringing it home. While this is a valid concern, did you know that cold and flu season can also increase their risk of developing common oral health problems like cavities, too? With <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/dentistry-for-children.html\">preventive measures<\/a> in place, you can make sure that priceless grin that you love to see every day stays healthy and happy. Read on for four ways to keep your child\u2019s oral health on the right track during cold and flu season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintain Their Routine During the Holiday Breaks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cold and flu season is here, and it really ramps up during the holidays, between October and January. During your child\u2019s breaks from school, they\u2019ll be tempted to fall out of routines since they\u2019ll be staying up and waking up later than usual. It\u2019s important to make sure they don\u2019t let their oral hygiene routine slack, though, because it could lead to developing oral health problems. Be sure to remind them to brush when they wake up and before they go to bed and floss at least once a day to maintain healthy teeth and gums! If they have trouble staying on top of their oral hygiene routine, you can always tempt them with some cool, new products like bubblegum flavored toothpaste or minty dental floss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Replace Their Toothbrush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that bacteria can collect on toothbrushes? If they\u2019re used while your little one is sick and then again later, it could reinfect them with whatever illness they had before by transferring the virus or bacteria back to their mouth. To keep this from happening, be sure to replace their toothbrush after each time they get sick, or every three months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Encourage Them to Stay Hydrated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Water helps wash away food and other debris deposited in the crevices of teeth that bacteria love to feed off of. Throughout cold and flu season, especially if your little one is prone to dry mouth, try to encourage them to drink water regularly. You can do so by adding sugar-free flavoring to their water bottle or even hot tea to keep them warm!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Curb Their Sweet Tooth with Other Enjoyable Foods<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The holidays are right in the midst of cold and flu season, which can be a blessing (because they won\u2019t have to miss school if they get sick) and a curse (because it\u2019s amidst the holiday festivities). Bacteria known to result in decay and tooth infections love to feed on sugars and carbohydrates. So, if your child has a sweet tooth for delicious holiday cookies and pies, try to curb it with other enjoyable foods and snacks that won\u2019t feed bacteria in their mouth, like fresh fruits. While it\u2019s completely fine for them to indulge their sugary dreams during the holiday season, it\u2019s a good idea to be mindful of how much they\u2019re consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the priority during cold and flu season is your child\u2019s wellbeing, many parents aren\u2019t aware of how their favorite smile can be impacted as well as their physical health. With these four tips, you can keep their pearly whites healthy until their next checkup and cleaning with their pediatric dentist!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Chicago Pediatric Dentistry &amp; Orthodontics, our team is comprised of six specialists who solely focus on caring for growing smiles. That way, parents can have peace of mind that their little one is receiving the expert care they deserve. We offer a wide array of kid-friendly services, including checkups and cleanings, frenectomies, and emergency dentistry. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagopedoortho.com\/contact.html\">website<\/a> or call 312-766-0995.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a parent, you\u2019re likely concerned about your child catching the cold or flu around this time of year from one of their classmates and bringing it home. While this is a valid concern, did you know that cold and flu season can also increase their risk of developing common oral health problems like cavities, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Protect Child&#039;s Teeth During Cold &amp; Flu Season | Pediatric Dentist Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cold and flu season is here, which means your child\u2019s smile can be at risk. 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