We are sure that most of our Witham patients are enjoying this hot weather spell. It isn’t often that we see a consistent spell of sunshine in this country so it seems very topical to discuss how the hot weather can affect your teeth and gums as well. We are not trying to spoil your fun but we hope the information that follows will enable you not only to enjoy the best of this weather but to minimise any impact on your teeth and gums too.
Let us take a look then at how this can impact the health of our Blake Dental patients
Dehydration can kill at its most extreme, but for most of us it leaves unpleasant symptoms such as dizziness and headaches that are usually rectified when we drink enough fluids. Another symptom of course is that it leaves us with a dry mouth, and as readers of our blogs will know, that is a problem as it increases the likelihood of gum disease. One day of heat and a dry mouth will probably make little difference, but a consistent spell of heat can mean that this happens a lot. Make sure that you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. It will be good for your teeth and gums but also your general health too.
When the weather is hot, we tend to consume more sweet things than ever. This is usually in the form of things to cool us down such as cold drinks and ‘ice lollies’ etc. Unfortunately, most of these are very high in sugar and also, in the case of soft drinks, acids too. The acidity can cause enamel erosion, leading to sensitive teeth, and the sugar is likely to stick to our teeth throughout the day, increasing the risk of tooth decay. Try to minimise these as much as possible, saving them for the occasional ‘treat’. Again, drink plenty of water to quench your thirst and this will also help to wash away some of the sugars too.
We all love the heat but it does take its toll on our energy levels after a while. This is even more so, of course, if we have been consuming alcohol, such as at a garden party. The drop in our energy levels then can have an impact on our teeth and gums when we feel that we really don’t have the energy or ‘can’t be bothered’ to brush our teeth or floss them before going to bed.
Failing to do this will leave sugar and bacteria on and around your teeth overnight which is likely to damage them. This will be even worse of course if we are dehydrated as well. No matter how tired you are, make sure to brush and floss your teeth well at night. It only takes five minutes of your time and that is five minutes well spent for your teeth and gums.
Most of the above; heat, sugary drinks and dehydration etc can all occur when we have a barbeque, an increasingly popular pastime in the UK. There is one other factor that can be problematic here too. Most barbeque sauces are very sticky and will definitely attach themselves to your teeth. Some of this can survive brushing too. If you have been eating sticky sauces, make sure to swill water round your mouth soon after, make sure that you brush your teeth really well and spend that extra bit of time and attention to your flossing as well.
If you don’t currently floss, and we strongly recommend that you do, this is a good time to start. It is almost certain that the space between your teeth will contain sticky materials and is a common place for tooth decay to occur. If you struggle to floss, do ask our Witham dental hygienist to demonstrate how to do it for you.
We hope the above tips will help you to enjoy this hot spell without any serious consequences for your oral health. If you do have any concerns or notice any symptoms such as sensitive teeth or sore gums that may have occurred since the ‘heatwave’ started, don’t ignore them and book yourself in for a check up at our dental practice so that we can check them for you and treat where necessary. You can do this via the form on the contact page of our website or by calling Blake Dental on 01376 501688. Enjoy the sunshine!
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Katie Annabel Blake trading as Blake Dental is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Financing First Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Katie Annabel Blake is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Financing First Limited may not be so authorised and regulated.
