Dress your face and mouth for the winter
Teeth can become more sensitive in cold weather. Breathing very cold air over your teeth can cause them to contract, just like any hard object. It’s important to keep your face and mouth (and your whole body) warm and covered.
Mind Your Jaw & Save Yourself a Headache
When we are cold, we clench our jaw. Repeatedly doing this can be problematic for both the jaw and the teeth, eventually causing problems like tooth erosion or jaw muscle pain. Although it feels normal to tense up the jaw and whole body when it is cold, it doesn’t actually help us to warm up that much. So if you can, wrap up warm, try to relax and avoid the extra stresses and strains in your jaw and teeth.
Whole Body Health Alert! Jaw pain can also be a sign of a heart attack, so please take extra special care to listen to your body if you will be out working hard. If your aches and pains don’t go away with a couple of Ibuprofen and a hot shower, or if they seem unusual in any way, don’t ignore them! Regular wellness visits with your primary care physician, as well as your dentist, are the best way to keep your whole body healthy!
Stay Hydrated, Inside & Out
We know, it’s hard to want to drink water in cold weather. However, dehydration can lead to a condition called dry mouth, as well as dry, cracked lips and issues such as canker sores. Even if you’re not sweating or exerting yourself, cold air and dry indoor air can suck the moisture right out of your body, which can cause your gums to shrink and recede, which can cause pain and discomfort. Be sure to drink plenty of water and use a humidifier indoors.
How much is Enough? The standard recommendation is 8, 8-oz glasses of water per day. However, you may need to adjust this based on your size, fitness level, and other factors such as alcohol and coffee consumption, which can affect your hydration. One suggestion is to take your weight in pounds and divide it by half to determine the number of ounces of water you need each day. Another idea is a little simpler, but a tad more, *ahem*, personal. Drink enough fluids to keep your urine relatively clear. We’ll leave that bit up to you, but don’t forget how important it is to stay hydrated in the winter.
As always, it’s important to brush and floss regularly, and keep up with your regular preventative visits. Don’t ignore pain until it becomes unbearable! If you’re experiencing pain or sensitivity, it’s best to see your dentist and get it checked out. If you’re busy out there shoveling snow and forget to call, you can book online anytime!
Avoiding Winter Tooth Pain
Avoiding winter tooth pain is achievable as long as you continue to:
● Try and avoid breathing through your mouth outside in the cold
● Come and see your dentist if you find the sensitivity is too much to bear
● Maintain your regular dental hygiene routine
● Continue with your regular checkups at our dentist so we can spot any issues that may cause sensitivity, early on and treat accordingly
Sensitive Teeth
When your gum line is checked at the dentist they will often find a point that seems to send a jolt through you. That reaction to an external stimulus can also be caused by cold air in winter. Hot and cold foods can cause sensitivity, but so can breathing in cold air. It actually causes your teeth to contract just a tiny amount, so when the air hits the gum line, it can cause pain or discomfort. The teeth then relax again when you close your mouth. This continual process can actually cause tiny cracks in the teeth that are sensitive to hot and cold food, and cold air.