With summer approaching, it’s important to not only get your summer body ready, but also your smile. A summer smile is simply a bright, healthy smile. Because smiles are contagious, it is important that those pearly whites are healthy, and the best way to maintain a healthy smile is through proactive dental care. While warm months are perfect for spending time with loved ones and doing activities, summer vacation can also throw off your usual dental routine. Here are some ways to not let your summer fun affect your pearly whites this summer.
Keep A Routine
Whether you or your kids are staying up late to catch fireworks or other summertime activities, resist the temptation to skip brushing before a late bedtime, or it will affect your teeth next morning. It’s important for families to consistently brush and floss, which keeps kids on track for healthy back-to-school dental visits. No matter how eventful the upcoming months become, supervise that your children are brushing twice a day for 2 minutes with fluoride toothpaste. Along with brushing twice a day, be sure to also be flossing once a day to get in between your teeth. To help stay on track, try things like brushing calendars or reminders posted in your bathroom so it is the first thing you see in the morning. This can help everyone stay on track over the summer. Plus, it’s a chance to spend more time together. Brushing alongside your children for 2 minutes, twice a day for the three months of summer gives you 6 extra hours together, so make the most of them!
Stay Away From Sugar
Even though it’s summertime and it’s hard not to indulge in your favorite sugary foods like ice cream and cookies, its best to stay away from them since they can cause cavities. As the temperature gets hotter, it’s common for families to sip and snack during sports tournaments, festivals or nearly any community event. Make sure to watch your family’s intake of juice, soda or other sugary foods. Instead, offer water or an even better alternative is water that contains fluoride. Water is great for your body, skin,and your teeth. Choose pure water with no added flavors or carbonation and you will not have to worry about demineralizing your teeth, many of the additives can cause tooth enamel breakdown. The simple act of drinking water helps to maintain oral hygiene. Maintaining good oral hygiene also includes proper brushing, flossing, and use of an antibacterial mouth rinse. Following a good oral hygiene program should always include staying properly hydrated. The best part about water is you can drink it any time with no side effects. It is truly the perfect drink for your entire body. As well as staying away from sugary drinks, don’t let summertime grazing damage your child’s smile. Taking a break from snacking is healthy for your teeth,it allows time for saliva refresh your mouth and wash away leftover food to improve strengthen teeth. For all you who spend your summer indoors, remember to snack smarter, and let your children tell you when they’re hungry instead of offering snacks throughout the day.
Schedule an Annual Cleaning
During the summertime is where many people stop putting effort into their well being, and instead indulge and are more care free. With so many events summertime activities, scheduling your next dentist cleaning is not something that is a is at the forefront of your mind. Some schools require back-to-school dental visits for certain grades, and these checkups can be a good way to be sure your child’s teeth stay healthy. It is a good idea to make your child’s back-to-school appointment early in the summer to avoid the August rush and help insure you get an appointment time that works best for you. Also keep in mind that when schedule your appointment with your dentist, it is better to schedule it after summer to see if your teeth are still healthy and strong, and if there’s any concerns it is addressed sooner than later.
Swimming Pools
Who doesn’t enjoy jumping into a pool when the weather starts getting warm? Even though it’s the perfect way to stay cool during the summertime heat, it can also be damaging for your teeth. Swimming pools contain chlorine, a very hazardous chemical, which can cause damage to your teeth even when levels are properly monitored. Spending a lot of time in a pool with poorly maintained chemical levels can cause permanent damage to your teeth’s enamel. Water that is over chlorinated, may cause tooth enamel erosion and permanent staining of teeth. The tooth surface is directly affected by harsh chemicals, such as acid, causing the enamel to thin, breakdown, stain and become weak. When there are high levels of chlorine in the pool, the water becomes more acidic. Continuous exposure to acid can cause the damage to begin and subsequently progress. Of course there is more than one way of damaging your enamel, but make sure when you’re enjoying swimming activities, keep it to a maximum to lower your rise of acid exposure to teeth.
Dr. Gregory Skeens and his team at Encinitas Family Dentistry California specializes in Orthodontics for children of all ages. Whether your teenager needs braces or your younger child won’t stop sucking her thumb, Dr. Skeens has the expertise needed to help and are devoted to enhancing your naturally beautiful smiling using state-of-the-art technology.
Call (760) 944-9288 to Make an Appointment with Dr. Skeens and learn more about the orthodontic care your to achieve a straight, healthy smile.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES AT ENCINITAS FAMILY DENTISTRY
At our core, Encinitas Dentistry is a dental practice devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural beauty of your smile. How we accomplish that goal is what makes us stand out. We mingle time-tested approaches to oral care with state-of-the-art technology and procedures to deliver beautiful, long-lasting smiles!