Summer is finally here! School is out and it’s time for fun in the sun, hot days at the pool, and beach vacations. While everyone looks forward to a break from the daily grind and more time to rest and relax, a shift in routines and increased exposure to hazards can pose risks to your teeth and mouth. Later bed and wake times can lead to skipped tooth brushing and flossing. Sports on the beach and games in the pool can lead to chipped or broken teeth, while indulging in too many sweet cold treats and convenient snacks can lead to a build-up of cavity causing plaque.
To ensure you and your family enjoy this season to its fullest, protect everyone’s oral health and avoid unexpected dental issues, especially on vacation. Here are four important tips to follow this summer:
Stick with a Healthy Dental Routine
When we get out of our regular daily routines, it is easy to forget to brush our teeth twice a day and floss as well. Going to bed late and sleeping in the next day may lead to skipping important steps of the dental routine. To help you and everyone in your house to remember, try hanging a chart next to the sink in the bathroom, for each family member to check off when they brush or floss each day. Also, be sure to pack extra toothbrushes, paste and floss when going away on vacation or day trips, to ensure your family’s smiles stay healthy even when your family is on the go!
Snack and Sip Smart
Laid back days hanging at the beach or playing by the pool often lead to changes in our eating habits during the summer months. The kids seem to snack all day long, and the temptation of a sweet cold treat or refreshing sugary beverage is around all the time. Indulging occasionally is fine, but consuming too many unhealthy foods and beverages can increase plaque build-up, which then leads to cavities. Help your family make good choices this summer by stocking your fridge, coolers and picnic baskets with tasty options that won’t harm your teeth. Fresh cut fruits and veggies, such as apples, carrots and celery are healthy snacks, as is cheese, yogurt, and nuts. Staying hydrated is so important on sweltering summer days, so always have plenty of cold water, unsweetened ice tea, and milk on hand for healthy sipping.
Protect Your Smile
While we don’t want to stop the kids from playing and having fun this summer, we do want to take steps towards protecting their smiles. Bumping into hard surfaces, falling on slippery pool decks, and injuries from contact beach sports can lead to chipped or even broken teeth. Setting and enforcing safety rules at the pool, such as no running or rough housing, can help. Having your child wear a protective mouth guard can also be a good safety measure, especially if your child has braces in their mouth. A mouth guard not only protects the teeth, but also protects the braces from being damaged or from harming the soft tissue around them. Lastly, while everyone remembers to put sun screen on the kiddos, their lips are often left unprotected and vulnerable to damage from the sun’s powerful UV rays. So be sure to apply a lip balm that contains SPF 15 or higher.
Come Visit Us at Roselle Park Dental & Implants!
Summer is the perfect time to schedule a dental checkup for your entire family. Scheduling your visit at the start of the season can help you to avoid possible dental issues from popping up while away on vacation. Also, if there is additional dental work needed after your checkup, finding time to have it done is easier in the summer months than during the school year.
Start your summer off right: call us today at 908-998-4698 – or visit us online at www.roselleparkdental.com – to schedule your family’s next appointment and keep everyone smiling all season long.