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6 Ways Winter Can Affect Oral Hygiene

  • January 11, 2021
  • 3:37 pm
  • Dental Care
  • Oral Hygiene, Parkcrest Dental Group, winter

Winter is here, and the cold weather means we bundle up, try to avoid catching a cold, and use more lotion on our hands to keep them from drying out. Did you know that winter can affect your oral hygiene, too? In today’s blog, Parkcrest Dental Group explains six ways winter affects oral hygiene.

Related Post: How Vitamin D Benefits Your Oral Health

1. Chapped Lips

Freezing temperatures and harsh wind chills can quickly dry out your lips. Sore and chapped lips make it harder to speak, eat, and perform your daily oral hygiene routine. Keep your lips in top shape with chapstick or lip balm with hydrating capabilities and an SPF, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors.

Related Post: Oral Care: Taking Care of Chapped Lips

2. Dehydration 

One way to help your chapped lips is to stay hydrated. You can actually get dehydrated in the winter because you rarely think to drink water when you’re not sweating. Plus, your lungs lose moisture to the air when it’s cold (particularly when you can see your breath as you exhale). Stay hydrated by taking a sip of water every 15 minutes throughout your day for better oral hygiene. 

Related Post: The Importance of Hydration in Oral Care

3. Dry Mouth

Dry mouth happens when your mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva. Breathing cold air or having clogged nasal passages can cause dry mouth. A lack of saliva in your mouth can reduce your body’s ability to fight infections. Consider a sugarless chewing gum to activate your salivary glands and keep your mouth moist during the day, in addition to sipping water.

Related Post: Dry Mouth: Definition and How to Combat It

4. Cold Sores

Cold sores appear in your mouth due to an infection, weakened immune system, or cold weather. Keeping your lips and mouth moisturized can prevent cold sores. Avoid touching your mouth with your hands, and wash your hands frequently, to reduce the spread of germs and improve your oral hygiene.

5. Tooth Sensitivity

Sudden temperature changes can cause sensitivity in your teeth if you have tooth decay. Reduce or prevent this by breathing through your nose or covering your face with a scarf before heading outside. You can also combat tooth sensitivity with special toothpaste as part of your oral hygiene regimen.

Related Post: How to Fix Tooth Sensitivity

6. Cavities

Winter weather brings holiday activities, festive foods, and the sweet chocolates of Valentine’s Day. Up your oral hygiene game by taking extra time to brush and floss during the day. A fluoride mouth rinse works well, too, as long as you use it 30 minutes after brushing and flossing your teeth. 

Related Post: How to Break Your Family’s Sugar Habit

Dental Care Tips by Parkcrest Dental Group

The staff at Parkcrest Dental Group wants you and your family to have the best oral hygiene at any time of year. Talk to our friendly, professional staff for other tips for the winter months. Contact Parkcrest Dental Group online or call (417) 887-1220 for more information.

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Meet Some Dentists in Springfield, MO

Some of the doctors at Parkcrest Dental Group

Dr. Stuart Scott (top left) is our pediatric dentist. He earned his degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry before completing a two-year residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Steven Harrison (top center) is board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Harrison, our orthodontist, graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He’s been with Parkcrest Dental Group since 1986.

Dr. Chanin Ropka (top right) attended UMKC before joining the United States Navy, where she served as the only dentist on board the USS Germantown and at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Ropka began at Parkcrest Dental in 2001.

Dr. Daniel Fannin (bottom left) graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 1997. He completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency in 1998 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group that same year.

Dr. Steven C. Sponenberg (bottom center) has been a Springfieldian his entire life. He graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2004 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group immediately after.

Dr. Jason Hall (bottom right) is also a native Springfieldian. He earned his DDS from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Dental School in 1997. He came to Parkcrest Dental Group in 2010. Dr. Hall’s father, Stan, is also a dentist.

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