How Can You Keep Your Lips Safe from the Sun?

During the warmer months, people tend to spend more time outdoors soaking up the beautiful summer sun. But before heading outside, everyone knows to lather up with sunscreen to prevent sunburn. Unfortunately, not everyone knows that lips need sun protection too – and that can be putting your oral health at risk. Read on to learn why it’s important to protect your lips from the sun and how you can keep them safe this season.

Why Do Lips Need Sun Protection?

Oral health involves more than just your teeth – your lips play an essential role too! It may even surprise you to learn that it’s one of the few areas that require extra care, especially during summer. Since the skin on your lips is much thinner and contains less melanin, it’s unable to protect itself from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

If left unshielded, prolonged sun exposure can increase your risk of sunburn and oral or skin cancer. Make sure you visit your dentist regularly for oral cancer screenings as it can be life-threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. Additionally, sunburned lips can make you more reluctant to follow your oral hygiene routine to avoid discomfort, which can put your smile at risk.

Tips to Protect Your Lips from the Sun

Do your oral health a favor and keep your lips safe! Here are some tips to protect them from the sun:

• Use a moisturizing SPF lip balm. Protect your lips from prolonged exposure by wearing lip sunscreen with an SPF 30+ rating. Keep your lips moisturized and reapply frequently! If you don’t have an SPF lip balm on hand, you can use your regular sunscreen as well.
• Avoid sunlight during peak hours. The sun is most intense during peak hours, ranging from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM CST and 11:00 AM-4:00 DST. Lower your risk of sunburn by staying away from sunlight during this time frame.
• Shield yourself from direct sunlight as much as possible. Aside from sunscreen, there are other effective methods of blocking out UV rays. Wearing a hat or some other form of head covering not only protects your lips but the sensitive skin on your face as well.

How Can You Treat Sunburned Lips?

Did you forget to apply lip sunscreen before going out in the sun? If your lips are redder than usual, tender to the touch, swollen, or have small, white blisters filled with fluid, then you may have a sunburn.

Luckily, mild sunburns usually only last about three to five days. However, you can treat your lips in the meantime by:

• Applying aloe vera to relieve the burning sensation
• Using a cold compress to soothe them and reduce swelling
• Taking anti-inflammatory medication as needed to alleviate discomfort
• Keeping your lips moisturized

Before hitting the beach or pool, don’t forget to protect your lips from the sun too. Keeping them safe will help you enjoy a happy and healthy mouth for many summers to come!

About the Practice

Our team at Brush Dental goes above and beyond to make your dental visit a positive experience, not just another chore or errand to check off your to-do list. We offer comprehensive, high-quality, personalized services for patients of all ages, meaning the entire family can seek treatment in one convenient location. For more tips on how to keep your smile safe this summer, visit our website or call (469) 723-4000.