Summer is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable times of the year. In fact, few things in life are better than escaping the summer heat with an ice cream, popsicle or milkshake. Of course, your summer might also include candied apples, funnel cakes and fried donuts at the fair or delicious s’mores complete with marshmallows, toasted directly over the campfire. The sheer thought of such fantastic summer treats is enough to make your mouth immediately start watering. Unfortunately, your teeth and gums are more likely to shiver at the thought of all those sweet things packed with untold amounts of processed sugar.
All of those summer road trips, barbecues and other outdoor events may make your summer a whole lot more fun, but if you’re not careful, they can also be a recipe for disaster when it comes to your teeth. Luckily, there are a number of easy steps you can take to help protect your teeth, while still ensuring you can enjoy all the best that summer has to offer. In this sense, it’s not so much about denying yourself any pleasures as it is about practicing common sense and making sure to take a bit of time to focus on your oral health.
Don’t Neglect Your Oral Hygiene
No matter what you’re doing this summer or where you’re going, one of the most important things you can to is to remember to always put oral hygiene near the top of your checklist. First and foremost, this means remembering to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day and especially right after eating or drinking anything sweet or sugary. One handy piece of advice is to make sure you always pack a travel toothbrush and toothpaste with you any time you think you’ll be away for more than a few hours. This way, you won’t have to worry about indulging in that candied apple or ice cream since you’ll already be prepared to take care of your teeth once you’ve finished your treat. Although brushing your teeth after eating anything sweet might seem like a pain at first, it is well worth it to protect yourself from the pain of cavities.
Choose Naturally Sweet Treats Whenever Possible
Enjoying sweet treats is really something of a rite of summer, but the good news is that you can both indulge and better protect your teeth simply by choosing naturally sweet treats whenever possible. Luckily, summer is the time of the year when you can find a huge range of all-natural sweets—from blackberries, strawberries and raspberries to juicy peaches, watermelons, cantaloupe and much more.
Of course, these fruits all still contain sugar, which means you still need to try to remember to brush your teeth after eating them. Nonetheless, the natural sugar contained in fruit is still far less damaging to your teeth and thus better for your oral health than the refined sugar found in artificially sweetened products, such as ice cream, cookies and popsicles.
Don’t Forget about Your Dentist
One of the most important factors in your overall oral health is making sure to see a dentist at least once or twice a year for both a check-up and teeth cleaning. During this visit, your dentist can, not only, check to see how well you’re currently caring for your teeth and make sure you don’t have any cavities, but they can also give you valuable advice and information on proper oral care and hygiene. Therefore, if it has been some time since you’ve seen a dentist, scheduling an appointment is definitely another thing you’ll want to add to the top of your summer to-do list. Go ahead and click the link below!