The sun is up and it’s time to break out the beachwear and buy plane, train, and theme park tickets. Summer is a great time to slow down and relax with your family and friends. However, it’s not the time to take a break from practicing excellent oral health.
As a dentist Palm Beach Gardens residents have trusted for over 20 years, we provide expert advice you can work with year-round. Here’s a carefully curated list of summer dental health tips to follow to avoid damaging your oral health this summer.
1. Don’t Open Packaging with Your Mouth
Always use your hands to open wrappers, plastic bags, cans, and bottles. If the packaging is too strong, use a tool. Using a pair of scissors, pocket knife, or bottle opener reduces the risk of coming to our office with chipped teeth.
2. Protect Your Lips
Your lips have less melanin than the skin, so they need protection. Throw an SPF 15 lip balm into your bag to avoid coming back with cracked or sunburned lips.
3. Limit Your Sugar Intake
Many people dig into candy, baked goods, and other sweets when relaxing in the summer sun. However, you should keep in mind that eating too much sugar increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
4. Use a Straw
Carbonated drinks, alcoholic beverages, lemonade, and other fun summer drinks can negatively affect your teeth and gums. You can reduce the negative impact by using a straw and finishing your drinks as fast as possible. Quickly finishing the drinks significantly reduces the chances of staining and tooth damage.
5. Avoid Chlorine-Heavy Pools
Swimming is one of the most popular summer pastimes in Florida. However, excessive chlorine in pools can weaken your teeth. Be sure to brush your teeth after a swimming session to remove any chlorine left on your teeth.
This swimming pool segment of our summer dental health tips may surprise you because no one drinks swimming pool water. Unfortunately, you don’t have to drink the water to expose your teeth to chlorine.
6. Pack Healthy Snacks
Packing healthy snacks when you head out in the summer is good for your oral health. A bag of snacks containing celery, baby carrots, apples, plain nuts, whole grain crackers, yogurt, and string cheese will keep you off fizzy drinks and processed foods.
7. Include Oral Care in Your Summer Routine
In the middle of all the fun activities lined up for the summer, it can be easy to forget your oral hygiene practices. Establishing a daily routine will remind you to remember to brush and floss amid the summer fun and adventure.
8. Drink Water
We recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water every day to stay hydrated in the summer sun. For example, you should drink at least 100 ounces of water per day if you weigh 200lbs. Drinking enough water will help your body produce more saliva.
Saliva plays a vital role in flushing your mouth of bacteria and lingering debris.
9. Don’t Chew on Ice
Some people chew on ice to cool down and stay hydrated in the summer. Unfortunately, it puts your dental health at risk.
Chewing on ice can worsen sensitivity. It can also chip or break a tooth. A crack below the gum line will require surgical removal and replacement.
Instead of chewing ice, drink a glass of cold water if you feel too hot. Alternatively, take a break indoors in an airconditioned room or car.
Your Palm Beach Gardens Dentist
Mark L. Civin D.D.S. P.A. helps patients maintain excellent oral health through practical advice and personalized dental care. Our summer dental health tips can help protect your oral health while you have a good time.
Call (561) 624-2224 to book an appointment with Dr. Civin in our Palm Beach Gardens office. You can also learn more about our dental services.
