Protect Your Lips from Winter!

Family Dentistry is aware of the problems with chapped lips during the winter.  Our mouths including our lips are high sensitivity and when they are hurting it affects our entire body.  Winter time with the cold, wind, sun, and dry air can create issues with our skin.  Typically, we cover ourselves with layers to protect our skin; however, our lips are not protected from this cold and dry air.  The skin on our lips is very thin compared to the skin on the rest of our body.  Lips can lose 10 times more moisture than anywhere else on the face or body.  With the arctic cold and wintry air, lips will dehydrate and can develop splits and cracks which is extremely painful.  Human tendency is to lick the lips to moisten them. This licking will create more dehydration as the saliva is evaporated.  Saliva also contains acids that assist in breaking down food which creates further chapping.  With the lips skin being so tender, peeling, scrubbing, or biting on the skin flakes creates further discomfort and slows down the healing process of the lips.  Lips can become infected if the skin continues to deteriorate. In the winter months, protect your lips by keeping them moist with a lip balm.  The lips will be protected with the lip balm being a buffer from the harsh weather.  Lips and skin also heal quickly when they are moist. Please check out this article for specifics on lip balms that have been helpful.   Lip balms may also include SPF to protect from sun damage.  Drs. Ogle, Schmitz, Hart, and Fickas promote great oral health and having healthy lips is an important part for a healthy mouth.