Taking measures to prevent emergency dentistry could also stop people catching as many colds, it has been claimed.
Oral healthcare husband and wife team Dr Todd Kinney and Dr Amy Madden Kinney told KBZK.com that there are around 500 bacteria in the mouth at any one time, but more of these could be pathogenic during the cold and flu season.
As a result, it is especially important to keep the mouth clean by washing these bacteria away, or they may enter the bloodstream and cause illness.
"I think on average people should brush at least three times a day and floss once. And use any oral mouth washes that don't contain a lot of alcohol," Dr Amy Madden Kinney commented.
Flu viruses can live on hard surfaces for several hours, so it may be easier than many people think to pick them up and then transfer them to the mouth, according to the government's Catch It, Bin It, Kill It campaign.
