How to Protect Your Braces During Extreme Weather Conditions
Posted on 1/24/2022 by SRD Muscle Shoals |
 When weather conditions become extreme – windy or cold or hot and sweltering, you need to protect your braces or retainer as well as your teeth. At Singing River Dentistry, we can teach you how!
Taking a Proactive Stance
When the weather is extreme, you usually will adjust to the climate by drinking more warm drinks, such as coffee, or drinking a cold fruit drink (when it is hot), such as lemonade.
In either case, these drinks which are acidic, can erode the enamel. Therefore, don' forget to rinse the teeth with water or brush them about an hour after drinking hot or cold-weather beverages. Don't brush your teeth right after you drink these types of drinks, as doing so can, again, demineralize the enamel on the teeth.
Reducing Tooth Sensitivity
If it is windy and cold outside, it can affect your level of dental sensitivity. In this case, we can recommend a toothpaste designed for sensitive teeth. It also helps to breathe through the nose instead of the mouth. Wear a scarf around the face and mouth, and keep your head and ears protected, when it is cold or windy, with a knit hat.
Protect Your Lips, Too
While the wind, sun, and cold temperatures can impact how your braces feel, they can also cause the lips to become chapped. Use an emollient for the lips that locks in moisture, such as a lip balm with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. It also helps to drink plenty of water, not just to protect your lips, but to wash away any debris that gets stuck in your braces.
When you protect your braces and mouth from temperature extremes, you reap dental benefits in the form of reduced tooth sensitivity and an overall improvement in your oral health.
Give us a call any time at 256-712-3186 with any concern you may have about orthodontic comfort and care. We can arrange an appointment, if needed, at a time that is convenient for you.
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