Flu Information | Takecare

Flu and Cold

For helpful tip on dental hygiene while you're sick, click here.

For information on how a cold flu can affect your dental health, click here.

For tips on how to help prevent the flu with dental hygiene, click here.

For information on how the common cold is connected to dental care, click here.

For dental health tips during the cold and flu season, click here.

For a helpful kid friendly video on how germs spread, click here.

For a helpful song on how to prevent the flu for kids click here.

MYTH: You can catch the flu from going out in cold weather without a coat or with wet hair.

TRUTH: The only way to catch the flu is by being exposed to the influenza virus. Flu season coincides with the cold weather.
MYTH: The flu is just a bad cold.

TRUTH: Influenza may cause bad cold symptoms, but in the United States alone, 36,000 people die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized each year because of the flu.
MYTH: Getting the flu vaccination is all you need to do to protect yourself from the flu.

TRUTH: There are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself during flu season besides vaccination. Avoid contact with people who have the flu, wash your hands frequently, and consider taking antiviral medications if you were exposed to the flu before being vaccinated.
MYTH: You can catch the flu from the vaccine.

TRUTH: The vaccine is made from an inactivated virus that can't transmit infection. So people who get sick after receiving a flu vaccination were going to get sick anyway.
MYTH: You can't spread the flu if you're feeling well.

TRUTH: Actually, 20% to 30% of people carrying the influenza virus have no symptoms.
MYTH: You don't need to get a flu shot every year.

TRUTH: The influenza virus changes (mutates) each year. So getting vaccinated each year is important to make sure you have immunity to the strains most likely to cause an outbreak.
MYTH: Chicken soup will speed your recovery from the flu.

TRUTH: Hot liquids can soothe a sore throat and provide much needed fluids. But chicken soup has no other specific qualities that can help fight the flu.
MYTH: Healthy people don't need to be vaccinated.

TRUTH: While it's especially important for people who have a chronic illness to get the flu shot, anyone — even healthy folks — can benefit from being vaccinated.

Always see a Doctor for a professional diagnosis and treatment for all your health issues.