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There are many reasons why people love autumn in Pittsburg, KS. Crisp air. Jeweled leaf tones. Reuniting with school friends. Fall sports. Halloween and Thanksgiving.

But there’s one thing about autumn which never appears on anyone’s favorites list: it’s the start of cold and flu season. If you’ve fallen ill, we have some ideas for taking care of yourself—and your dental health—as you recover.

• Stay Hydrated

Proper hydration is vital for healthy skin, temperature, digestion, and other bodily functions. Sweating, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting—common symptoms of colds or flu—cause dehydration.

Dehydration also creates problems for your oral health. Hydration ensures healthy levels of saliva. Saliva helps prevent cavities by washing away bacteria and food particles and neutralizing oral acidity. Saliva bathes the teeth in minerals which keep tooth enamel strong. Hydration also supports healthy bone and connective tissue, which encourages faster orthodontic healing as your teeth move into their ideal positions.

Even if you don’t feel like eating when you’re ill, be sure to drink the liquids you need to stay hydrated. For your dental health, try to avoid overdoing sugary beverages and acidic drinks.

• Eat Healthy Foods

It’s always a good idea to eat nutritious foods, but it’s especially important when you’re not feeling well. Fatty and greasy foods are hard to digest. Processed, sugary, and fast foods filled with empty calories don’t provide the protein and nutrients which can encourage a speedier recovery. And studies suggest that sugar-filled foods can suppress your immune system, the network of cells and organs working together to prevent and fight infection.

A diet rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals will help you recover when you feel up to regular meals again. Foods which contain nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D are necessary for healthy teeth. Vitamins A and C are essential for gum health and bone density, which is especially important while you’re in orthodontic treatment.

• Minimize Exposure to Germs—For Yourself and Others!

To help prevent catching colds and flu, be mindful that viruses and bacteria can live for hours and even days on non-porous surfaces like phones, keyboards, and doorknobs. Washing your hands with soap and water before touching your mouth, nose, or eyes, before brushing and flossing, and before you cook and eat will help you eliminate most of the germs which cause colds and flu.

If you do catch something, be mindful of your interactions with others. You can help stop the spread of germs by limiting contact with other people, masking, and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough.

Protect yourself and those around you by being careful with dental hygiene. Never share your toothbrush with others. Don’t let toothbrushes touch in a common container. Always let your toothbrush air-dry since germs prefer moist environments.

And, while it’s unlikely that you’ll re-catch a cold from your toothbrush, brushes are only at their best for three to four months. If yours is past its prime, post-illness is a perfect time to replace your old brush with a clean new one.

• Be Choosy with OTC Medicine

Many cough syrups and cough drops are filled with sugar. Consider sugar-free syrups, or, if you use cough or cold medications which include sugar, rinse or brush afterward.

Look for sugar-free cough drops, which won’t bathe your enamel in sugar as they dissolve. And never crunch down on cough drops. A chipped tooth, cracked enamel, a broken bracket, or a warped wire certainly won’t make you feel better!

• Keep Up with Your Brushing and Flossing

Even when you feel weak and tired, it’s important to brush and floss as usual—with one exception.

Vomiting brings up harsh stomach acids which weaken the mineral bonds keeping tooth enamel strong. Brushing right away can spread these acids around your mouth and your enamel. If you vomit, rinse your mouth with water and wait 30 minutes before brushing to allow your enamel to come back to full strength.

• Stay Home When You’re Sick

You’ll get better faster when you take care of yourself, which includes getting the rest you need to recover. And beyond doing something for your own health, you won’t be risking the health of the people around you.

If you have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Gina Pinamonti, reschedule as necessary. Your orthodontic team at Gina B. Pinamonti, DDS Orthodontics will be happy to accommodate you to prevent the spread of colds and flu and to make your appointment a more comfortable one.

Don’t let cold and flu season ruin one of the most beautiful times of the year! Follow your doctor’s advice, take good care of yourself when you’re ill, and visit Dr. Gina Pinamonti again once you’re feeling better to keep your treatment on track.

If the scariest part of Halloween in Pittsburg, KS is trying to figure out which treats are braces-friendly and which treats are braces-frightful, we have a fiendishly simple suggestion to help keep your brackets and wires safe from harm: ghost any treats which are chewy, crunchy, hard, or sticky!

It’s no mystery how certain candies and treats can cause trouble for your braces. The pulling effect of chewy candies like caramels can pull a bracket right off your tooth. Biting into a hard candy can break a wire. Crunchy treats can get stuck under wires and damage braces. Sticky foods pull on your wires and brackets.

Broken braces are no fun. Loose or detached brackets can be uncomfortable. Bent or broken wires can cause sores and cuts inside your mouth. Damaged braces mean extra trips to Gina B. Pinamonti, DDS Orthodontics for repairs, and can even delay your treatment if the damage is significant or you can’t see Dr. Gina Pinamonti right away. 

And chewy, crunchy, hard, and sticky treats have a haunting effect on your dental health as well. These foods stick to brackets and wires and can be difficult to brush or floss away. Cavity-causing bacteria feast on the sugars and food particles left behind, putting you at greater risk for cavities.

So, what specific treats should *vanish* from your candy collection this Halloween? Here are some of the most damaging to braces: 

• Chewy caramels, taffy, fruit chews, gum, and licorice
• Crunchy candied apples, caramel popcorn, peanut brittle, nuts, and popcorn balls 
• Hard and hard-shelled candies, lollipops (especially with gum centers), and jawbreakers
• Sticky gummies, jellybeans, and candy corn

But it’s not all frightful news! There are many spook-tacularly good treats which you can enjoy without putting your braces in jeopardy:

• Peanut butter cups
• Soft chocolate bars (with no nuts or caramel hiding inside!)
• Soft cupcakes
• Pudding cups
• Mint patties
• Ice cream
• Sugar-free gum (if it’s okay with your orthodontist)

And here are a few good tricks for keeping your teeth and gums healthy, whether or not you wear braces:

• Brush and floss after treats. 
• Enjoy sweets in moderation. 
• Skip the sour candies. Acidic foods can damage tooth enamel.
• Eat treats with a meal. Eating increases saliva production, which helps neutralize acids and wash away food particles.

Don’t let a damaged bracket or wire spoil your Halloween fun. Talk to Dr. Gina Pinamonti to learn which candies are a treat for both you and your braces and you’ll stay on the fast track to a boo-tiful, healthy smile!

Gum disease is one of our most common dental diseases, affecting both children and adults. If you are considering getting braces or aligners, make sure your gums are their healthiest before beginning orthodontic treatment.

• Gingivitis

For both younger and older patients, gingivitis (mild gum disease) can be the result of poor brushing and flossing habits. When plaque builds up around the teeth and gums, it irritates delicate gum tissue. The gums become inflamed, and symptoms such as redness, swelling, tenderness, bleeding, and bad breath can result. Usually, your dentist can treat early stages of gingivitis with tips on more efficient brushing and flossing, a professional cleaning, and suggestions for mouth rinses if needed.

Because brushing and flossing with braces can be more difficult, you need to devote special attention to your cleaning routine to prevent gingivitis from developing after you start treatment. Talk to us any time about how to brush and floss most effectively when you wear braces. Dr. Gina Pinamonti can also recommend tools designed especially for braces wearers to get your teeth and gums as clean and plaque-free as possible. If you are a candidate for clear aligners, this option can make it easier to keep your teeth their cleanest. We’ll work with you to keep your gums healthy as your orthodontic work takes place.

• Periodontitis

For older patients, gingivitis, left untreated, can eventually lead to periodontitis (severe gum disease). This chronic infection can lead to the formation of pockets between your gums and teeth that become home to bacteria and infection. Over time, periodontitis can lead to the destruction of gum, ligament, and bone tissue. Left untreated, it can lead to loose teeth and even bone and tooth loss.

Making sure you schedule regular dental exams will allow your dentist or periodontist to detect and treat any signs of periodontitis as early as possible. If you have any of the symptoms of gum disease, it’s important to treat the cause of these symptoms as soon as possible to protect your gums, bone, and teeth. Deep cleaning procedures such as scaling and root planing, topical and oral antibiotics, and oral surgeries such as flap surgery or bone and tissue grafting can help reverse the effects of periodontitis.

Because orthodontic treatment involves moving the teeth and re-forming the ligament and bone tissue, which hold them in place, you need healthy periodontal ligaments and bones to begin treatment. If you have suffered shifting teeth or bone loss due to periodontitis, talk to us. We will let you know at your visit to our Pittsburg, KS office if you are a good candidate for orthodontic work, and which type of appliance is best for your periodontal health.

We are happy to talk to you about the best way to achieve an attractive smile and a healthy bite if gum disease has been a problem in the past. Most important, we want to make sure that your teeth and gums are their healthiest even before you begin orthodontic treatment. Preventing and treating gum disease will provide the foundation you need for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.

“Yes,” you’re thinking, “I shouldn’t be chewing sugary, sticky gum while I’m wearing my braces.” Or perhaps, “I should check with my orthodontist to see if this sugar-free gum is safe for my braces.” And these are both great thoughts—but today, we’re thinking about gums of a different sort!

While you’ve been taking care of your teeth with regular brushing and flossing, you’ve also been taking care of your gums. And now that you’re wearing braces, your gums need a bit of special attention to keep them their healthiest.

We tend to think of gum disease as an adult problem. In fact, periodontitis, or serious gum disease, is one of the most common chronic infections in the adult population. But young gums need care, too! Gingivitis, a milder form of gum disease, is unfortunately a common problem for both children and adults.

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused by the build-up of plaque and tartar. When plaque builds up, it irritates delicate gum tissue. And while gingivitis is not as serious as periodontitis, the symptoms caused by this disease are nothing to smile about:

• Redness
• Tenderness and soreness
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Bad Breath

If you’re already feeling a little tender or swollen after an adjustment, the added discomfort caused by gingivitis is the last thing you want. But even worse, neglected gingivitis can lead to more serious infections of gum and even bone tissue. Luckily, gingivitis is both preventable and treatable with proper dental care.

So, how to protect your gums? We have some suggestions.

• Brushing Better with Braces

It can be hard to brush around your brackets and wires, but keeping these areas free of food particles and plaque makes for healthy gums—and fewer cavities! There are specially designed manual toothbrushes made for braces wearers, and tiny interproximal brushes that can reach tight spaces. Or, perhaps an electric toothbrush will do a better job for you. Just be sure to brush after each meal for the most complete removal of bacteria and plaque.

• Learn New Flossing Techniques

You might wonder how on earth you’ll get in between your teeth with your wires and brackets in the way. We have the answers! We know the best techniques for flossing your specific braces, and we’ll recommend specially designed flossing tools to make the job easier. Water flossers can also be a great help for cleaning in tight spots. Be sure to make flossing part of your daily routine—you’ll be able to remove plaque from places brushing just can’t reach.

• Rinsing? Recommended.

Talk to Dr. Gina Pinamonti about the best dental rinses for reducing plaque and tartar, or how gargling can help prevent irritation. And drink water! Water helps wash away plaque and bacteria, and is a great way to rinse teeth and braces if you absolutely can’t brush after eating.

• Keep up with Professional Cleanings

Be sure to keep up with your regular dental exams and cleanings. Your dentist or hygienist will be able to remove any plaque or tartar build up that home brushing can’t handle.

We want your time in braces to be as healthy—and comfortable—as possible. If you have any gum discomfort, swelling, or sensitivity, give our Pittsburg, KS office a call. With prompt action, gingivitis can be treated, and with careful attention to your cleaning routine, gingivitis can be prevented altogether. Something to think about!