Colds, flu and little teeth: syrups, blocked noses and mouth breathing

Why teeth suffer when a child is sick

A child with a cold breathes through the mouth, drinks less, eats little and often takes syrup in the evening. The result is a drier, sweeter mouth than usual: saliva, which normally washes acids away, runs short exactly when it's needed most.

Add parents' exhaustion: after a day of fever, the evening brush is the first thing to go. Understandable, but that's also when bacteria work undisturbed all night.

Syrups and medicines: the hidden sugar

Many children's cough syrups and fever medicines contain sucrose or other sugars to make them palatable. That's no reason not to give them, but a reason to give them well: before the evening brush, not after, or follow the dose with a sip of water.

If a sugar-free version of the same medicine exists, ask your paediatrician or pharmacist. Throat lozenges and balsamic sweets? They are sweets in every sense: one now and then, never sucked for hours.

Blocked nose and mouth breathing

With a blocked nose, children breathe through the mouth at night too: gums dry out, turn red and morning breath is heavy. Saline nasal rinses before bed, a humidifier in the room and a few extra sips of water help enormously.

If mouth breathing continues once your child is well, tell us at the next visit: prolonged open-mouth breathing can affect palate growth and tooth position, and it's worth catching early.

Brushing with a fever

You still brush, just shorter and gentler. If your child is in bed, bring the toothbrush and a bowl: two minutes propped on pillows is perfectly fine. After vomiting, however, wait 30 minutes before brushing (enamel is temporarily weakened by acids) and rinse with water in the meantime.

Once the illness is over, replace the toothbrush: bristles can hold germs and, above all, a new toothbrush is a nice way to restart the routine.

Take-home points

Syrups before brushing, water after every dose, nasal rinses at night, new toothbrush after recovery. And if you notice very red gums, white spots near the gum line or breath that doesn't improve, book a check-up: in autumn we often see the first 'flu cavities'. Call us on 051 814000.