Summer Fun That Won’t Hurt Your Oral Health

Summer is here and in full swing. With kids out of school and vacations on an uptick now more than ever is a great time to consider taking care of your oral health. Fun in the sun is great, but don’t let it distract you from taking proper care of your teeth! Summer activities can have a lasting impact on your oral health. Here’s a little checklist of what to look out for.

1. Bad Habit-Forming: With the heat comes a more relaxed attitude and lifestyle. We might want to indulge in a cold sweet treat like ice cream or a popsicle to help beat the heat. While these yummy desserts are fine once in a while, don’t let it become a habit! Same goes for sweet tea and lemonade. All that sugar can wreak havoc on your oral health. Be sure to properly brush after partaking in sweet treats. 

2. Late Nights: Since the sun is up longer we all tend to lose track of time and stay up a bit later as well. As a result, we might fall asleep watching TV and forget to brush our teeth. This is a big no-no in the world of proper oral health. All the foods and beverages you have been consuming all day long have left tiny particles on your teeth and in your mouth. You have to floss and brush to wash them away before you go to bed each night. If you leave that junk on your teeth too long you may get cavities that will have to be drilled out!

3. Not flossing: Some common summer activities include going to a nice air-conditioned movie theater to see the latest blockbuster and escape from the heat and attending a backyard BBQ. And what are some ubiquitous foods that go along with those activities? Corn! From buttery popcorn to grilled corn on the cob, corn can really get lodged in between your teeth. Do yourself a favor and carry around a little spool of dental floss to get to those hard-to-reach places and extract corn that decided to stick around in between your teeth. 

4. Sports: What better way to spend a lazy summer Saturday than playing volleyball or water polo with some friends? While physical activities are great for your overall health, you have to be careful with contact sports and your teeth. Too often we see patients who got a little too physical a little too close to their teeth and chipped or completely knocked out a tooth. You can easily purchase a mouthguard over the counter at a drug store and fit it to your mouth or ask us to design a custom one just for you. 

5. Dehydration: Dehydration not only can leave you feeling sweaty with a headache, it can also be bad for your oral health. Dry mouths don’t rinse away food particles as well as properly hydrated mouths. Though you might not notice a big difference during the day, while you sleep at night you may subconsciously be leaving your mouth dry and full of bacteria. A good measure of hydration is your thirst level. When you are thirsty, reach for good old-fashioned water over juices, sodas, or even sports drinks – which can all carry a lot of sugar. 

By staying aware of these pitfalls you can have a super fun summer full of good times and beautiful smiles!