How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy During the Summer
No school, no homework, no worries. Summer is the perfect time for family vacations, outdoor activities, and spending time with those you love. It’s that time of year every kid looks forward to, perhaps with the exception of the holidays. However, Summer break doesn’t mean you should be taking a break from your oral hygiene habits! Brushing, flossing, and taking care of your teeth is a year-round and lifetime undertaking. Here are a few things to consider during the Summer season to ensure your family’s smiles stay bright.
Keep a Routine
Our lives are slowly returning back to normalcy after the COVID-19 pandemic and if there’s one thing we all learned during this experience, it’s how we react to dramatic shifts in our routines. Some people do better with structure. Others thrive when they are not held to a rigid schedule. When it comes to oral hygiene and instilling healthy habits though, it is best to keep a routine – especially for the young ones.
Keeping to your routine does not necessarily mean waking up at 7:05 and brushing your teeth at 7:07 every morning when school is out. It just means that brushing your teeth should still be the first thing you do each morning after you wake up – even if it’s at 9:05. If your family’s routine is a sweet treat after dinner and that’s it – keep it that way. During the Summer, it’s easy for sweet treats to make their way into our daily diet and sometimes several times throughout the day.
Brushing at least twice a day, in the morning and evening, for two minutes and flossing once a day should not stop amidst Summer activities. It’s essential to your oral and overall health. Additionally, limiting treats should continue throughout the Summer months. If your family is not implementing healthy habits already, now is the perfect time to start. And if you need some ideas for health snacks to keep around the house, the next section is for you!
Stock Up on Healthy Snacks
More time at home means more time to snack – we are all guilty of it. Of course it is okay to treat yourself every once in a while, but stocking up on healthy snacks during the Summer will keep the temptations to a minimum. Plus, your teeth will thank you for it!
The best snacks to consider for healthy teeth are those that are low in fat, sugar free, and contain minerals such as calcium and phosphorus. Foods such as raw vegetables and fresh fruits are great for both your teeth and overall health. Cheese, yogurt, and nuts are good sources of calcium and phosphorus. Going with whole grains as opposed to refined grains is also something to consider.
Whenever you do decide to treat yourself or your little ones, we recommend that you keep the sweets to one sitting rather than several times throughout the day. Each time you consume a sugary snack, harmful acids start to attack your teeth and continue to do so for at least 20 minutes. To reduce the lingering effects of harmful acids and bacteria, you should immediately brush your teeth after consuming anything high in sugar.
Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is essential, especially during the warmer months and when we tend to be more active. Whether at home or on the go, make sure you have access to a source of water or bring a reusable bottle with you. Drinking plenty of water not only keeps our bodies functioning, but helps wash away any leftover food and residue in our mouths that bacteria feed off of. It also dilutes harmful acids produced by the bacteria, lessening its effects.
You may also consider buying fluoridated water for your young ones during the Summer. With a natural increase in water consumption during the Summer, you can make sure they are getting the correct amount of fluoride as well as staying hydrated.
Schedule Your Back to School Visit Early
At Snodgrass-King we work with you to the best of our ability to ensure your child gets the treatment and care they need in a timely manner. But let’s face it – once school begins and your extra curricular activities resume, finding time for the dentist becomes difficult. Summer is the perfect time to schedule a yearly checkup for the entire family. And if Summer doesn’t work for you, it’s the perfect time to schedule your back to school visit early! Don’t let setting up an appointment fall through the cracks when life starts getting busy again. Make your oral health a priority.
Visit Us Today
We are open and excited to be seeing patients during Phase 1 of our reopening. Our facilities have been sanitized from floor to ceiling, and we will continue to follow all ADA, CDC, and local health department guidelines. We understand the concern you may have regarding COVID-19 and want you to know that we share those concerns and are ensuring your safety in our offices. For more information on what to expect at your next appointment, visit our website at snodgrassking.com
Snodgrass-King Dental Associates has 5 locations across Middle Tennessee (Mt. Juliet, Murfreesboro, Franklin, and Cool Springs). Contact us today to see if we can help jump-start and be a resource in you or your child’s healthy, dental lifestyle. We offer a variety of services for both children and adults. We can also address any orthodontic needs for children, teens, and adults. If you have any questions, call us today at (615) 771-1111.
