![\"woman](\"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/woman_in_bed_sick__1542820605_56413-300x200.jpg\")
Unfortunately, while you are preparing for the holidays, there\u2019s a pressing issue that definitely shouldn\u2019t be overlooked \u2013 the return of flu season. The months of November through March are critical times for your overall health, so your dentist says that along with receiving your annual flu shot, it\u2019s important to incorporate some supplemental habits into your regimen. Learn 5 practices that will help to protect your health during flu season.<\/p>\n
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To limit the number of bacteria in your mouth, be sure to brush your teeth at least two times a day, and for a thorough cleaning, each session should be two minutes. Flossing your teeth is just as important as brushing because it is able to navigate areas that can\u2019t be reached by your toothbrush.<\/p>\n
By cleaning in tight areas and right at the gumline, it also helps to fortify your gum health significantly.<\/p>\n
One of the ways of encouraging the function of your immune system (one of your body\u2019s ways of preventing illness) is to drink the necessary amount of water. A general rule of thumb is to consume half your weigh in ounces of water daily. For example, a 140-pound woman would need to drink around 70 ounces of water, which is equivalent to 4-5 bottles of water.<\/p>\n
This will not only keep you hydrated but will also help to bathe your mouth to reduce the amount of bacteria present.<\/p>\n
Typically, you should change toothbrushes every 60-90 days. However, if you become ill, you should discard it immediately to prevent re-contamination from bacteria that may get trapped in the bristles.<\/p>\n
Another way to keep bacteria at bay is to occasionally gargle with a salt water solution. You can dissolve a tablespoon of salt in warm water and then gargle it, which helps to reduce the number of bacteria present in your mouth and throat.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve established that bacteria accumulation plays a significant role in contributing to overall illness, but these harmful agents still rely on food to survive. One of the more preferred forms of sustenance for bacteria is sugar, and as it dissolves, acids are released in the mouth that can eventually lead to decay.<\/p>\n
Therefore, if you aren\u2019t feeling well, it\u2019s best to choose a medication that is sugar-free. Some alternative sweeteners are xylitol or sucralose. If a sugar-free option is not available, you can brush and rinse after taking the medication.<\/p>\n
The last thing you want is to be \u201cunder the weather\u201d and unable to carry out your normal functions. But by applying what you\u2019ve learned, you can feel more protected this flu season so you can truly enjoy the holiday months.<\/p>\n
About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n After receiving his undergraduate degree in Dental Surgery in 2009, Dr. Ramandeep Badhan went on to earn his DDS degree from New York University School of Dentistry. Since then, he has worked tirelessly to educate and treat his patients so they can all experience the best in oral and overall health. Dr. Badhan practices at Cambria Smiles, and he can be reached for more information through his website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Unfortunately, while you are preparing for the holidays, there\u2019s a pressing issue that definitely shouldn\u2019t be overlooked \u2013 the return of flu season. The months of November through March are critical times for your overall health, so your dentist says that along with receiving your annual flu shot, it\u2019s important to incorporate some supplemental habits […]<\/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":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13\/revisions\/16"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cambriasmiles.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}