Tonsillitis-Home Treatment

Tonsillitis - Home Treatment

The goal of home treatment of tonsillitis caused by a virus is to manage symptoms as the body fights off the infection. It includes measures to ease the discomfort of sore throat and coldlike symptoms such as runny nose, nasal congestion, sneezing, and coughing.

Things that may help you or your child feel better include:

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Gargling with warm salt water several times a day. You can make your own salt water by mixing 1 tsp (5 g) salt to 8 fl oz (240 mL) warm water.
Drinking warm or cool liquids (whichever feels better). These include tea, soup, juice, and rehydration drinks.
Eating frozen desserts, such as Popsicles.
Taking over-the-counter pain medicines (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) to help relieve sore throat pain. Follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to your baby, follow your doctor?s advice about what amount to give. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 because of its link to Reye syndrome.
Getting plenty of rest.
Using a vaporizer or humidifier in the bedroom.
Using throat lozenges to help relieve sore throat symptoms. But lozenges should not be given to young children because of the risk of choking. Also, many lozenges contain unnecessary ingredients that can be potentially harmful.

Cough and cold medicines may not be safe for young children or for people who have certain health problems. Before you use these medicines, check the label. Antiseptic mouthwashes, decongestants, and antihistamines have not been proved effective for tonsillitis and may result in harmful side effects.²

A sore throat along with sudden fever and swollen lymph nodes, and without symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection, may point to a bacterial infection. Anyone with these symptoms should see a doctor to be tested for strep throat, which requires treatment with antibiotics. It is important to get plenty of rest and take all the prescribed antibiotics exactly as directed. Keep your child home from school for the first 1 to 2 days of antibiotic treatment. He or she is still contagious during this time and might pass the infection to others.

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Only 18.5% of Americans never floss. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Floss removes food trapped between the teeth and removes the film of bacteria that forms there before it turns to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Try flossing just one tooth to get started.

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily. You are missing out on a simple way to make a big difference in the health of your mouth. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for 3 more days!

You are one of 31% of Americans who don't floss daily, but you're well on your way to making a positive impact on your teeth and gums. Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Aim for all 7 days!

Only 50.5% of Americans floss daily, and good for you that you are one of them! Regardless of how well you brush, plaque still forms between your teeth and along your gums. Toothbrush bristles alone cannot clean effectively between these tight spaces. Flossing removes up to 80% of the film that hardens to plaque, which can cause inflamed gums (gingivitis), cavities, and tooth loss. Congratulations on your good oral health habit!

SOURCES:

American Dental Association, Healthy People 2010

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