Canadians know that they have to pay more attention to their health during the winter. The cold weather makes it riskier to go outside. You have to bundle up so that you don’t catch a chill or develop frostbite. The icy roads and sidewalks make it more dangerous to get around, which raises your chances of slips and falls. And of course, the season causes more problems with your teeth.
Read ahead to find out what dental health problems you can expect during the winter and how our Hamilton dental clinic can help.
Eating More Sweets
It’s common to indulge in more treats than usual in the winter. It’s colder and darker outside, which pushes you to look for simple comforts like mugs of hot cocoa or helpings of freshly baked cookies. And it doesn’t help that you’re encouraged to pamper your sweet tooth during holiday celebrations like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The entire season is filled with opportunities to eat sugar.
The cravings aren’t necessarily your fault. There’s scientific evidence that your diet changes during the winter and pushes you to eat bigger portions and crave comfort foods. You might find that your hankering for dessert isn’t as strong when spring finally arrives.
The main issue with eating more sweets is that it can cause tooth decay, which means that you could end up with a mouth full of cavities. Why is that? Certain forms of bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar and form plaque on your teeth. If that plaque is not cleared (either by your natural saliva or brushing your teeth), it becomes acidic and starts to damage your tooth enamel. Over time, the damage will form large holes (cavities) in your teeth.
So, the more sugar that you eat, the more that you put your tooth enamel at risk. What can you do about this? For one, you can be careful about plaque build-up. You can do this by brushing your teeth regularly, flossing and drinking plenty of water. You can also try to cut down your sugar intake for the sake of your oral health.
Cavities can be a common problem for young kids who love to have seasonal sweets and hate brushing their teeth. If you have kids that are complaining of tooth sensitivity or pain, you should make an appointment with our pediatric dentist in Hamilton to check out the problem and address any cavities that are forming or that have already formed.
Dry Lips
Have you noticed that your skin gets very dry during the winter? That’s because the cold air draws out moisture, which makes your skin dry out and crack.
The same thing happens with your lips. You’ll find that your lips are chapped throughout the season, especially when you’ve ventured outside for more than a minute. If you don’t address the problem, your lips can crack and bleed. You could even get mouth sores.
What can you do?
- Drink plenty of water.
- Use a moisturizing lip balm with sun protection.
- Use a humidifier at home.
Dry Mouth
The inside of your mouth can dry out, too. Again, the cold air draws out moisture, including the saliva in your mouth. This is more likely to happen when you breathe with your mouth instead of your nose while you’re outdoors.
Dry mouth isn’t just irritating. It can cause plaque build-up, degrade the enamel of your teeth and give you bad breath.
What can you do to solve it?
- Drink plenty of water.
- Breathe through your nose, not your mouth.
- Avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
- Use a humidifier at home.
Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity can also be a common seasonal problem, both from the cold weather and from the hot foods that you eat.
If these extreme temperatures are bothering your teeth, there are several things that you can do. You can switch to a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. You can avoid overly hot foods and drinks — wait for them to cool before you put them up to your lips. When you go outside, bundle up. Wear a face mask and a scarf — this can help protect you from COVID-19 and the frigid winter air.
If you’re still having trouble with tooth sensitivity, talk to your dentist to see if there’s anything else you can do.
Winter Sports Injuries
Winter sports can be dangerous for your mouth and teeth. Hockey is a contact sport that encourages hip-checking and pushing. Even if you’re wearing a helmet, you could still chip or break a tooth when you’re playing. Other winter sports like skiing and snowboarding come with injury risks, too.
You should wear a protective mouthguard whenever you’re playing these sports. It can stop you from getting cracks, chips or lost teeth.
If you sustain a mouth/tooth injury from a winter sport, make an appointment with your dentist right away. Otherwise, you could risk infection and further damage. If you lose a tooth or need it removed because of the damage, you should consider undergoing dental implants. Take a look at our blog to see how dental implants can improve oral health and make your life easier.
Sleep Apnea
That’s right, even your obstructive sleep apnea can get worse during the winter months. Why is that? There is less humidity both inside and outside of your house. Inside, the air is going to be dry, hot and dusty. Outside, it’s going to be dry and cold. These factors make it difficult to breathe, which means more snoring at night.
Other winter problems can exacerbate your sleep apnea, like dry mouth and blocked sinuses. You can’t breathe through your nose when your nostrils are plugged.
How can you address this problem?
- Get a humidifier for your bedroom.
- Vacuum regularly to remove dust and allergens from your bedroom.
- Sleep on your side and not on your back.
- If you have a CPAP machine for your condition, use it every night. Clean the filter often.
- Try to keep active.
Don’t get the winter blues about your dental health. Follow these simple tips to tackle these seasonal problems, and if all else fails, you can call Dentistry on 7th to get the help you need.