Winter Dental Care

Image
By Affinity Dental | January 3, 2022

Brisk mornings and early evenings can make it extra tough to keep those new year’s resolutions, no matter how determined you are. The winter season poses a whole new set of challenges for maintaining good health, including dental health. Let’s talk about winter dental care to help give you the advantage during this challenging season.

Winter Sports

Playing winter sports and staying active outside can be a fun and enjoyable way to stay fit and healthy during the winter season. If you’re participating in a sport or activity with the risk of contact injuries or falling, make sure to wear the proper protective gear to protect yourself and your dental health. Statistics show that dental trauma is the most common type of facial injury, so it’s a good idea to invest in a helmet with a face shield or a mouthguard for sports like hockey, skiing, and snowboarding.

Cold Air and Your Teeth

When you’re enjoying the great outdoors in all its winter glory, the cold temperatures can be a shock to your system, especially if you’re not used to them. If you experience discomfort in your teeth when venturing out into the cold, a visit to the dentist may be in order to find out the source of your dental sensitivity. Increased sensitivity to cold temperatures can be caused by many things so it’s important to rule out any serious issues and also find the best solution for relief so that you can thoroughly enjoy the winter season.

Warm Drinks

When it’s cold outside and getting dark early, warm drinks are a must for staying cozy and keeping up your energy levels. Many popular cold weather drinks contain high amounts of sugar, though, so it’s important to be mindful of all the ingredients in your drink of choice.

Try adding new flavors like different coffee roasts or varieties of tea and festive spices like cinnamon to perk up your daily morning drink as a replacement for the usual sugary additions. Or if you’re craving something sweet, switching sugar out for alternative sweeteners like xylitol or another sugar-free creamer or flavored syrup option can help to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising your dental health.

Routine Care

The number one way to ensure optimum winter dental care is probably the most simple: Continue to keep up your routine of brushing and flossing your teeth regularly and visiting your dentist on schedule for professional cleanings and exams. Maintaining your routines can be difficult because it feels mundane, so it can be helpful to talk with your dentist about new ways to make your routine more enjoyable, exciting, or even more effective such as an innovative electric toothbrush and dental care app or a waterpik flosser. Winter dental care doesn’t have to be boring, so don’t be afraid to ask your dentist about the latest tools and tips to spice up your routine.

Call our to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.