Winter Lip Care

Patients at Ross Orthodontics in Forest Lake and Hudson are accustomed to brutal winters. But still, undergoing orthodontic treatment makes it especially important to maintain lip care, which is why we want to provide some tips.

Cold air causes chapped lips because of its low moisture content. There’s not much we can do outside except keep our mouths tightly covered, but inside, we should try to keep the air as moist as possible by placing humidifiers in rooms where we have to spend a lot of time. Applying lip balm multiple times a day, including before bed, is a good idea if the wearer does not find menthol or other common ingredients irritating, so it is important to check the label and switch balms if the lips become red and swollen.

As is always the case, braces patients who find the insides of their mouths irritated by brackets should apply large amounts of dental wax. If a person suffers from dry mouth, it will probably be worse in the winter, so whatever is causing it is more urgent to address. Dry mouth makes chapping more likely, but it is a bad idea to use saliva to wet the lips because it evaporates very quickly. Also, avoid tucking the lips under the teeth, or they may cause the teeth to move further out of alignment.

To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit Smiles by Ross. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.