As the season changes from Fall to Winter, the prevalence of the common cold, strep throat and the flu seems to increase dramatically, and especially for our little ones.
 |
| We hate seeing such a sad face! Read these tips below & keep those little faces smiling! |
TIPS TO AVOID GETTING SICK THIS SEASON
- Stop the Nail Biting & Keep Hands Out of Mouths
- Have a nail biter? Nail biting in one word is: unsanitary. Your fingers are pretty much involved in almost everything you do. Even with frequent hand-washing, your fingers are still dirty. Your fingernails are almost twice as dirty as your fingers. Since fingernails are not the easiest places in the world to clean, there's all manner of germs and bacteria underneath there-- germs you really don't want in your mouth. And when you bite your nails, you are inviting these germs into your mouth. Plus, bitten nails can be jagged, and may cut the gums, allowing these undesirable germs to easily access your bloodstream.The two "germiest" places on your body are generally your hands/fingernails and your mouth. So it's pretty easy to see why putting these two together in the form of nail biting is not desirable.
- Enforce Hand Washing!
- Good hand washing is the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses, from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, and most types of infectious diarrhea.
- Establish Hand Washing Rules
- Before and after eating
- After using the bathroom
- After touching pets and animals
- Before and after visiting or taking care of any sick friends or relatives
- After blowing one's nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After being outside (playing, gardening, walking the dog, etc.)
- Eat Lots of Fruits and Veggies and Good Fats
- Eating well keeps your body in balance and increases your immune functions helping you fight the sicknesses before they effect you!
- Stay Active
- Staying active helps circulate the blood, pumping germ-fighting cells through the body and washing away toxins.
- Get Good Sleep
- To remain healthy, you must be getting enough sleep. Plain & simple. Shoot for 8 hours a night - but children tend to need 10+ hours per night!
- Get a New Toothbrush!
- If you or your children do come down with the common cold, strep throat, or the flu, be sure to throw away all toothbrushes in the house and get new fresh ones! Brushes should be changed at the onset of an illness and again after recovery.
Post Credits: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-p-connelly-dds/mouth-health-the-dish-on_b_574866.html - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/hand_washing.html - http://www.dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com/ddhright.aspx?id=6494
