As the weather starts to cool down, there are a few things to remember for those colder winter months and your oral health; the impact it can have on your teeth and gums and what you can do about it. Earlier evenings and that cold chill in the air isn’t everyone’s favorite time of the year, and it can certainly bring its fair share of challenges with cold and flu season and general lowering of mood due to the shortage of sunlight.
Replacing your toothbrush
Most people aren’t aware, your toothbrush is extremely good at harboring germs. Especially after you have been sick, in particular Covid-19 and Influenzas. From a simple cold to the flu, these can have a major impact on our poor teeth and gums. A dry mouth, poor diet, sugary cough medicines and a general lack of energy, resulting in poorer cleaning of the teeth can all contribute to a worsening of our oral health at this time. Do try to drink plenty of fluids if you succumb to a virus, and, no matter how tired and lethargic you feel, make a real effort to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. And once you are over the worst of it, replace that toothbrush!
Sensitive teeth
One thing that many people notice as the weather gets cooler is that their teeth become more sensitive and uncomfortable when exposed to the cold air. There are a few factors relating to this issue in winter, one being that majority of the population experience flu like symptoms like a runny nose in winter. These sinus issues can in fact cause your teeth mainly on the top arch to become sensitive. If your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold, then there is another likelihood that the enamel on them has become eroded, exposing the inner part of the teeth. Sensitive teeth toothpastes can help with this but for a long-term solution, the teeth veneers available at our Coomera Dental Centre offer perhaps the best option.
Dehydration
We tend to think that we only get dehydrated in the hot weather but this isn’t actually true. We lose moisture all year round and making sure that we drink enough fluids is very important for both our general and oral health. Gum disease is a potentially serious problem and at Coomera Dental Centre we take this seriously and believe that prevention is better than cure. Making sure that you drink plenty of fluids in the winter months as well as summer and try to avoid too many high sugar drinks. Plain water is your best friend when it comes to your oral health as this prevents a dry mouth & rinses food particles from your teeth between meals therefore lowering the risk of gum disease and cavity’s.
Increased sugar consumption
The winter weather can make us reach for ‘comfort’ food and drinks to warm us up. It is understandable that we are less attracted to salads and more attracted to ‘oily’ foods as these help us to maintain energy which keeps us warm. Unfortunately, many of these are also likely to contain high levels of sugar which, as we all know, is bad for our teeth. Even if you succumb to this temptation, do try to keep your sugar intake to a sensible level and remember to make sure that you brush and floss your teeth well on a daily basis.
Vitamin D
Many people in winter become deficient in vitamin D due to a lack of sunlight. This is especially the case in the darker and colder months of winter when you would rather snuggle up inside instead of head out into the brisk cool air. You may wish to look into a vitamin D supplement as this is an important vitamin and a lack of it can have a negative impact on our teeth and especially our gums.
With winter on its way, it’s important to ensure you are up to date with your routine checkup and clean at our Dental Clinics so you minimize any issues that could arise with the cool air. As always, we are here to help you with any dental problems that may arise. If you need to make an appointment, whether a general or emergency one, please book online.