Teeth and Gums Cold Weather Issues

Colder temperatures can have various effects on your teeth and gums.

The following are some issues you may experience:

Dry Mouth

The cold, dry air of winter makes it more difficult for your mouth to produce saliva. In turn, your mouth may tend to feel quite dry in the wintertime. Since it is important for the mouth to be moist with saliva, this dryness can lead to other oral health issues.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are mouth ulcers, and they often peak during the winter months. This is because the dry air makes dries the mouth making tissues more prone to injury and infection. Saliva helps rid the mouth of bacteria and food particles. When your mouth is dry, you have less saliva to help out with this. Additionally, immune systems tend to be more compromised in the winter which can add to the why canker sores are so common in the winter.

Chapped Lips

You guessed it, your dry mouth can lead to dry lips. Additionally, harsh winds and freezing temperatures also cause the lips to chap, crack and dry out.

Tooth Sensitivity

Moving from warm temperatures to cold temperatures can add pressure to the nerves beneath the tooth’s surface causing you to feel like you have a toothache, especially if you already have sensitive teeth.

Jaw Pain

Cold weather can cause your joints and muscles to tighten up including the muscles in your jaw area causing a painful sensation. If you suffer from TMJ disorder, this can make the problem harder to manage.

Cracked Teeth

Teeth may become cracked over time due to age and normal wear and tear. However, changing temperatures can also cause cracks or cause small existing cracks to worsen as they expand and contract with temperature changes.