Summer in Texas means barbecues, sleep-away camps, pool parties, outdoor sports, and family vacations. In the midst of all this excitement, it’s easy to slip on your dental and oral hygiene routine. This is why Lynn Dental Care has a few tips and reminders to keep your smile shining bright through the summer months.
It’s important to realize how certain summer sports and activities can be putting your dental and oral health at risk. One activity which is particularly popular in the heat of summer, in Texas, is swimming. Chlorinated pool water contains chemicals that give the water pH levels which are higher than those of saliva. For frequent swimmers, this puts them at risk for “swimmer calculus.” Brown deposits often appear on front teeth as a result of the breakdown of salivary proteins with exposure to chemically treated pool water. Swimmer calculus is a condition that requires attention from a dentist, who will remove the deposits in a professional dental cleaning.
Summer sports, from competitive leagues to pick-up games with friends, can put you or your kids at risk for dental injury. One of the most important ways you can prevent dental injury is by being fitted with a mouthguard. The Academy of General Dentistry estimates that over 200,000 dental injuries are prevented by mouthguards every year. Mouthguards come in many varieties and help to prevent damage to expensive orthodontic work as well as tooth damage, cuts to soft oral tissue, and jaw injuries.
Many summer gatherings and activities also tempt us to indulge in snacks and beverages that can be damaging to teeth and orthodontic work. With summer gatherings, you will find sticky candy, soda, popcorn, corn on the cob, and more guilty pleasures. These can result in damage to braces and other orthodontic work that will force you to make an expensive trip the orthodontist rather than enjoying the summer sun.
Drinking dark colored juices, sodas, and sports drinks may not be the best way to keep hydrated, even in the summer months. These types of drinks can contribute to dental staining and decay. Instead, it is important for both kids and adults to drink adequate amounts of water. Water not only keeps your whole body healthy and hydrated, but also keeps your mouth clean by boosting saliva levels to help prevent tooth decay.
It is easy for both kids and adults to forget to brush and floss regularly when traveling for family vacations or summer sleep-away camps. Packing a fresh toothbrush for every week and a new tube of toothpaste for every two weeks you or your kids will be away is a good way to ensure that you always have the proper supplies to take care of your oral health.
Don’t forget to schedule yourself and your kids an appointment with Lynn Dental Care for a regular dental cleaning and check-up this summer. We understand the risks to your oral and dental health this summer. Let the qualified dental professionals at Lynn Dental Care help you and your family keep your smiles healthy and bright all year round.
