4 Tips for Healthy Summer Smiles

Summer is here, with vacation time and no school for the kids. You’ll want to enjoy pool parties, weddings, and travel, so it’s important to keep you and your teeth healthy. Here are 4 things you can do this summer to ensure a healthy smile.

Keep Up with Your Routines

Summertime tempts us to just lay back and enjoy the sun. While it’s important to give yourself time to relax with family and friends, you should keep up with your healthy routines. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth. A healthy body begins with good oral health, so remember to brush in the mornings and evening and keep up with your daily flossing. It’s also a good idea to keep a travel brush handy for the pool parties to help keep your mouth clear of leftover residue from sugary snacks.

Keep Healthy Snacks and Drinks on Hand

Speaking of sugary snacks, you should limit them or avoid them altogether if you can. Realistically, we know that you’re going to want to indulge in easy snacks for the poolside or beach, such as chips and cookies. Remember, though, that extra sugar and starch lead to cavities. Fruits like apples are good for you and good for your teeth.

Bonus Snack Tip

Some good snacks and foods for summer include:

Apples
Grapes
Nuts
Cheese
Leafy veggies like kale & spinach

If you or your family are resistant to eating kale or spinach, try a simple fruit cup recipe. Chop up the kale and spinach into short, thin strips. Then add them to a cup of fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

Get Mouth Guards for Sports

If you or your child are engaging in summer sports, get a mouth guard to protect your teeth. Summer sports often lead to accidents, especially rougher sports like football and soccer. A mouth guard will help ensure that you don’t get a chipped tooth from an errant ball.

Schedule Your End-of-Summer/Back-to-School Appointment

Once summer begins, go ahead and set up your dental appointments for the end of summer. Because school starts in the fall, August appointments usually fill up fast. If you schedule early, you have a better chance of getting an appointment time easy for your schedule.