Oral Health Heatwave Tips

How to maintain a healthy mouth during hot weather

No one can have missed the fact that the next couple of days are going to be extremely hot, and potentially dangerously so. There are many risks to our health if we don’t take sensible precautions for this period of time.

Most of these have been widely covered elsewhere so we won’t repeat them here. Although this will be a short but intensely hot period, before cooler weather returns, it now seems likely that these hotter periods will become more frequent and possibly even hotter!

Given the heat over the next two days and the fact that this type of weather may return more frequently, our Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre clinical team have chosen today’s blog to look at what you can do to protect your teeth and gums during periods of hotter weather.

What’s the problem?

In addition to general health issues that the heat can cause, it can also pose a number of challenges to our oral health.

Dehydration and a dry mouth

This is a fairly obvious and all too common problem. Many of us will have woken up with a dry mouth after an evening of drinking alcohol, but this can happen during our waking hours too, especially when the weather is hot. In addition to being an unpleasant sensation, a dry mouth also encourages growth in the number of potentially harmful bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria can attack not only the enamel of your teeth, increasing the risk of tooth decay, but also your gums. Gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis are more likely if you don’t drink enough liquids and become dehydrated.

Although we might have a drink of water if we feel dehydrated, we should really drink well before it reaches this stage, especially in extreme heat. Make sure to drink water regularly throughout the day and also as much as you feel you can before you go to sleep. If you have to go out in the heat of the day, make sure to take a bottle or flask of water with you so that you don’t become dehydrated and start to feel ill.

Avoid alcohol

When we are hot, nothing is more appealing than a really cold drink. This is something that alcoholic beverage manufacturers have obviously noticed too, judging by some of the advertisements. Whilst an ice cold pint of lager or cider may seem an appealing idea though, it can be counter intuitive if you are drinking it to quench your thirst.

As we know, alcohol will actually dehydrate you, and the benefit of that ‘cool hit’ will soon dissipate (and in this heat, it won’t be cool for too long either, and warm lager is not that appealing). In the type of weather we are having, we recommend that you try to avoid alcohol altogether if possible but if not, then make sure that you also drink plenty of water, perhaps alternating alcoholic drinks and water. Not only will your head thank you for it later, but your mouth will too.

There is also the additional risk of accidents where too much alcohol has been consumed. Unfortunately, this can result in broken or knocked out teeth that will require emergency dental care at your local Epsom dental clinic.

Barbeques

Thankfully, in some respects, this short burst of hot weather is happening during the week (although this poses problems in itself). If it was the weekend there would undoubtedly be a larger number of barbeques throughout the country. Not only would that almost inevitably mean an increase in alcohol consumption (see above), but also the use of sticky, and often sweet, marinades for the meat on the barbeque. Whilst these might be tasty, they also have a tendency to be incredibly sticky and as well as making a mess of your fingers, they will stick to your teeth and gums for a long period of time. It doesn’t take a lot to work out that this means that sugars will remain on your teeth and start to cause damage to them if not removed.

Whilst we wouldn’t expect people to be brushing their teeth all the time (and this could cause enamel erosion anyway if done too often), there are a few things that you can do to minimise the risk until you clean your teeth.

First of all, you could avoid or at least reduce the amount of this type of foodstuff that you eat. If you do though, do try to drink water afterwards as this will help to remove at least some of the sticky food from your teeth and gum line, especially where it is trapped between your teeth. Give the water a good swill around your mouth before spitting or swallowing. Finally, even if you are tired or have drunk too much, remember to brush and floss your teeth well before you go to bed. Leaving the sticky marinades and sauces attached to your teeth for several hours while you sleep is definitely not a good idea!

Whatever you do for the next few days, please stay safe and take sensible precautions against the heat. Keep your teeth and gums healthy too by staying well hydrated. As an ongoing part of your oral health care, please remember that you should also see your dentist and hygienist at our Epsom dental clinic at least twice a year. To book your appointment, please call the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre on 01372 720136. Please enjoy the sun but take care and stay safe!