Summertime brings warmer weather, longer days and a chance to relax with family and friends. To help you enjoy the season even more, here are Lorne Park Dental's Top 5 Teeth Tips to keep your smile beautiful all summer long!
1. Drink water - Drinking water throughout the day helps you stay hydrated and keeps your mouth moist. Water washes away sugars and plaque-causing bacteria and also helps to keep your breath fresh. Fluoridated tap water can strengthen teeth, making them more resistant to decay.
2. Skip the bubbles - The acid in carbonated drinks can wear down your tooth enamel. If you drink acidic beverages, reduce their contact with your teeth by using a straw and finishing the drink quickly, instead of sipping over a long period of time. Lemonade, lemon water and other summer drinks with lemon added can be especially acidic.
3. Protect teeth during summer sports - Summer is a great time to get out and be active but be sure to protect your teeth when you do. Always wear a mouth guard when playing a contact sport such as soccer, baseball or basketball. Protecting teeth from injury is worthwhile when cycling, skateboarding and playing beach volleyball and other sports too.
If you swim in a pool frequently, you may be at risk for developing yellowish-brown stains on your front teeth. Pool water contains chemical additives which give the water a higher pH than saliva. Saliva proteins break down quickly and can form hard organic deposits on the teeth, known as "swimmer's calculus". No need to worry though...these stains can be removed by our dental hygienists during your dental cleaning. Always remember...don't forget to be safe and check for hazards before diving or jumping into water.
4. Ice is for chilling, not chewing - Chewing on hard substances, such as ice, can result in a dental emergency involving a broken tooth or chipped tooth enamel. Try to break the ice chewing habit. Use ice to cool your drinks, not as something to eat.
5. Pack chewing gum when you travel - Chewing sugarless gum can help relieve ear pressure during a flight. If you're on the road and unable to brush after eating, chewing gum can get the saliva flowing to wash away food debris, sugars and cavity-causing bacteria. An extra helpful chewing gum choice would be one that contains the tooth-friendly sweetener, xylitol .
Summer is a great time to catch up on your dental visits too. 