Cold Syrup Can Cause Cavities

Cold Syrup Can Cause Cavities

Written by: televoxweb
1/18/2016 4:51 AM

Winter brings snowfall, fun holiday events and family gatherings. Unfortunately, this season also means a drop in temperature, and the beginning of cold and flu season. We all know that sugary foods and beverages aren’t great for our teeth, but did you know that cold syrup could be harmful to your oral health as well?

Cold Medicine and Your Teeth

Cold syrup, and many other over-the-counter liquid medications, can cause your teeth to decay for a couple of reasons –

• Medications can have high fructose corn syrup or other sugar substances that break down, they attack the enamel of your teeth.
• Cough syrups often have acidity levels that can damage your teeth.
• The alcohol in popular cold medicines can cause the mouth to become dry. Saliva helps rinse sugars off of teeth, so a dry mouth could lead to sugars and other food particles sitting on your teeth for longer than usual.

How To Prevent Cavities From Cold Syrup

Nevertheless, in this season where the common cold is more common than usual, it’s difficult to avoid medication. That is why our team at Sterling Virginia Smiles has put together a list of tips to follow to minimize the risk of tooth decay.

• Take medication after meals – the increased amount of saliva that is produced when eating will clean the sugar and acids in your teeth.
• Avoid taking cough medicine right before bed, as saliva production decreases during sleep.
• If you cannot avoid taking cough medicine before bed, make sure you brush your teeth after taking cold syrup
• If brushing your teeth isn’t a possibility, rinse your mouth with water.

Get Well Soon!

Your friends at Sterling Virginia Smiles hope you have a speedy recovery. Follow the tips above to upkeep your oral health, as you’re working on fighting your cold.