Ask Doctor Cory.

Dear Dr. Cory:

How do you get rid of a morning sore throat?

Isabel

Feliciano, Puerto Rico

Dear Isabel:

Sleeping with an open mouth can cause a dry mouth and a sore throat when you wake in the morning. Breakfast of a drink of water can help. A cool mist vaporizer used while sleeping may be useful, too. Some people may have allergies or enlarged adenoids that cause them to sleep with an open mouth.

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If your sore throat continues during the day then you may have a viral or bacterial infection. Sore throats due to viruses usually last three to five days. Antibiotic medicines will not work on viruses, so the best you can do is to ease the pain by drinking warm drinks, sucking on fruit popsicles or throat lozenges, and gargling with warm salt water (a half teaspoon of salt mixed with a glass of warm water) several times a day. Your parents may want to give you a non-aspirin pain reliever to help take away the pain and make swallowing easier.

Some sore throats are due to bacterial infection with streptococcal (strep-toe-KOK-ul) bacteria (strep throat). Your doctor can give you a strep test if you or your parents notice any of the following signs along with your sore throat:

* red or swollen tonsils;

* white flecks on your tonsils;

* a stomachache, headache, or fever.

A strep test is quick and painless. If it shows that you have strep throat, antibiotic medicine will be prescribed. Strep throat infections left untreated can lead to serious problems.

Dear Dr. Cory:

I am having my teeth cleaned and I am scared. What should I do?

Gabrielle

Berkley, Michigan

Dear Gabrielle:

First, relax. Your dentist and/or dental hygienist will gently check your teeth, gums, and inside your mouth for any problems; that's all. A special tooth cleaner is used to remove a thin, sticky substance from your teeth that you can't see, called plaque (plak). Then your teeth will be polished and flossed. For strong tooth enamel, fluoride gel may also be applied to your teeth. Sometimes your dentist will X-ray your teeth to see if you have any cavities. None of this hurts. Be sure to ask about anything you don't understand.

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To help keep your teeth and gums healthy:

* use a soft toothbrush and a pea-size amount of fluoridated toothpaste to brush all surfaces of the teeth for two minutes after each meal or at least twice a day, especially before going to sleep;

* at a 45-degree angle against the gum line, gently brush from where the tooth and gum meet down to the chewing surface, in short strokes;

* brush the chewing surfaces with short back-and-forth motions, making sure the bristles get into the pits and crevices;

* brush the top and bottom front teeth and gums while holding the toothbrush in an almost straight up-and-down position with the front part of the brush gently moving up and down over the teeth and gums;

* floss every day;

* rinse well after brushing and flossing.

Smile, It's February!

February 1,2008, is the 5th annual Give Kids a Smile Day. Ask your dentist to help underprivileged children receive free cleanings, toothbrushes, and toothpaste in an effort to provide dental care to those who most need it and raise awareness of this problem.

See you next issue!

Your friend,

Cory SerVaas, M.D.