The winter months can make our mouths extra sensitive because of cooler temperatures, changes in our diet, and even the onset of cold and flu season. Here are some ways to minimize the impact and keep your family’s mouths in tip-top shape throughout the winter:
Keep Your Lips Moisturized
Wax-free lip balms are great for combatting chapped, dry lips. Keep them on hand, especially if you’re still wearing masks on a frequent basis. Little ones tend to mouth breath more often when they’re stuffy, which can dry their lips out quite quickly.
Remember to Drink Enough Water
Most of us don’t drink as much water when the temperature drops as we don’t sweat as much. However, we’re actually living inside in relatively dry air much more often in the wintertime. This can cause dry mouth, chapped lips, and increase oral bacteria levels. Encourage your family to sip on water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Rinse After Taking Cold Medicine or Cough Drops
A lot of cold and flu medications (syrups) contain sugar to make them more palatable. So do cough drops. Even though you don’t want to brush immediately afterward (it can rub the sugar around) it’s a great idea to rinse your mouth out with water to minimize the syrupy sugar stuck to your teeth.
Stick Your Toothbrush in a UV cleaner or Replace More Frequently
Toothbrushes need to be changed out whenever you’re sick. If your doctor has you on antibiotics, using a contaminated toothbrush can keep re-infecting your mouth with bad germs. If you have a UV cleaner for your toothbrush, now is the time to use in in over-drive. You might even want to consider using cheap, disposable toothbrushes until you’ve recovered. And, definitely replace your brush to a brand new one once you feel better.
Pay Attention to Sensitive Teeth
Cool temperatures can make your teeth just as sensitive as if you were to bite straight down into ice cream. But if you notice more sensitivity than normal or it’s coming from a certain tooth, be sure to let us know!
For more winter teeth tips, call Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan today!
