Whether your summer plans include taking a month-long road trip, traveling abroad, or relaxing by the pool, there’s one thing that’s certain: you don’t want a painful dental injury to get in the way. Fortunately, there are several ways you can prevent that from happening, starting with learning which summer activities can harm your smile. Here are a few!
1. Drinking Lemonade
When the temperature is up and the humidity hits, there’s nothing quite like a refreshing, ice-cold beverage. While you might be tempted to reach for lemonade, it isn’t the most smile-friendly option. In fact, the added sugar it contains mixed with the acidic nature is a recipe for cavities! So, it’s best to opt for water instead. Not only will this help you stay hydrated, but it will also reduce your risk of dry mouth and dental discoloration.
2. Eating Popcorn
Is your movie-going experience not quite the same without some popcorn? Whether you love drenching yours in popcorn or adding chocolate candies to the mix, there’s bad news: this snack can wreak serious havoc on your teeth, especially if you bite down hard on one of the kernels. That’s why patients are encouraged to opt for something else, like fresh fruit or dark chocolate.
3. Swimming
Whether you have a community pool or you’re lucky enough to have one in your backyard, it’s important to protect your smile while swimming this summer. That starts with practicing routine pool safety, like not running, and extends to protecting your teeth from chlorine exposure. It’s also important that you wear SPF (including on your lips!) to help prevent certain cancers, including oral cancer.
4. Playing Contact Sports
Do you love playing flag football on long, holiday weekends? Maybe you enjoy playing frisbee or soccer with your friends when the weather is nice. Whatever the case may be, it’s important that you wear a mouthguard. Otherwise, your risk of chipping, cracking, or knocking out a tooth skyrockets.
Tip: Don’t have a mouthguard? Ask your dentist to have a custom one made for you so that it fits comfortably and is the appropriate thickness for the sport you play.
About the Practice
Our team at University Dental Group aims to help with all of your dental needs – from routine checkups to emergency dentistry. We are also open five days a week, welcome several financial solutions, and offer a wide range of treatments in-house, which makes keeping your smile healthy this summer more convenient than ever. When you’re ready to schedule an appointment, simply reach out to our friendly dental team via our website or by phone at (508) 753-1911.