People who use steroid inhalers where you told to brush your teeth afterwards?

[misdee]

dd1 has been on steroid inhalers for about 6 yrs. dd2 started on hers today. doc has infiormed me to clean her teeth afterwards. anyone else been told this? something about avoiding oral thrush?

Yes. The nurse advises giving the inhalers first thing in the morning and then just before brushing teeth at night.

Yes - both dh and I were given the same advice. Oral thrush is a really common side-effect of these inhalers - the GP said it was because it changes the amount of saliva you make, and cleaning your teeth is an effective way to help put that right.

Yes, I was given the same advice - apparently it isn't as vital if you use a spacer device (don't know why though).

blimey. wasnt told this, but generally do the inhalers for dd1 before she brushes her teeth anyway. will now make doubly sure we do it in the right order.

I wasn't given this advice, but read the care leaflet [sad geeky person] so knew about this. You should also rinse out your mouth and gargle with water, to avoid sore throats.

A spacer makes a difference, by the way, because with a spacer more of the medicine ends up in your lungs, and less in your mouth or throat - because you don't spray it right into your mouth, iyswim.

Mouth thrush is quite unpleasant - I think you'd know by now if she had it.

well she has been usijg a spacer. i think i read the leaflet so long ago i didnt retain the information. not like dh who reads everything and lauighs at the side effects (ooo it guives you a fast heart rate i better not take' said sarcastically)

hiya misdee, yes my asthma nurse told me to use the inhaler, then brush teeth, that way the mouth gets washed out amd you avoid getting oral thrush.

I was never told to do this, I had childhood asthma.

Yes, i was told when I started mine recently. But we were never told this when DD was prescribed hers 18 months ago.

Must be a new instruction.

asthma nurse tells me to do ds's teeth afterwards,she tells me this every time we see her

I've had inhalers for years and never knew this - I must actually get round to reading the instructions

I was never told that

I was prescribed a new one on Monday and told to rinse my mouth out after taking it to avoid sore throats - the nurse said that the molecules are bigger in the newer inhalers (not sure why that is more likely to cause side-effects). Becotide, which I've taken for years, is being phased out as they can't make a CFC version apparently.