Caring for Your Teeth in the Summer

As the summer weather rolls in, you and your children are probably getting excited to spend time in the sun, take a family trip or two, and host some backyard barbecues. While there is no shortage of fun activities that will keep you busy this season, it’s important to remember that, amidst all the merriment, you still have to make sure you’re taking care of your smile.

Here are a few tips that can help you care for your teeth in the summer so your smile stays dazzlingly beautiful.

Summer Oral Care Tips

Don’t Skip Daily Hygiene Tasks

Whether you decide to sleep in and loll about your home, it can be a bit more tempting to skip over daily oral hygiene tasks during summer.

As a reminder, you should be brushing for two minutes, flossing, and using a mouth rinse at least twice a day — more often if you have braces or are snacking on sweets. Don’t let this routine fall by the wayside.

You should also be caring for your orthodontic treatment. If you wear aligners, make sure you’re cleaning them each night and switching aligners as scheduled.

Watch What You Eat

Summer brings with it a number of tasty, seasonal treats — some of which are not that great for your teeth. For more reasons than one, these summer foods can cause problems for your teeth and braces:

Soda: These bubbly beverages can leave you with a ton of cavities and tooth decay.
Corn on the Cob: Kernels can get stuck in your braces and in between your teeth, while all that munching can cause brackets to come loose.
Ribs: Although they’re a barbecue favorite, pieces of this fibrous meat can easily get caught in your braces.

If you must eat and drink these items, do so in moderation and brush and floss as soon as you can afterward.

Be Careful to Avoid Injuries

It’s all fun and games until someone slips at the pool and chips a tooth or takes a nasty kick during a backyard soccer game and loses a tooth entirely. While you’re having fun this summer, be extra cautious to avoid oral injuries.

Make sure your children wear mouthguards during any sports activities and walk carefully around slippery areas — such as pools or boat decks. If you do find yourself in the middle of a tooth emergency, make sure you contact your dentist or orthodontist (depending on the injury) right away so you can take appropriate action.

Travel with the Essentials

Whether you’re heading out of town for a weekend or just taking a trip to your local park, it’s important that you carry a few dental essentials with you. It’s often best to keep these items on hand:

Floss: Quickly remove any food particles stuck in your teeth.
Mouthwash: You never know when you’ll need to freshen your breath.
Gauze: Stop any bleeding in the case of an emergency.
Wax: If you have braces, wax can help reduce irritation.
Your Dentist’s Contact Info: In the event of an emergency, it’s ideal to have your dentist’s number quickly on hand.

Schedule Regular Appointments

Maybe it’s been a while since you or your child saw your dentist or orthodontist because you couldn’t find time to come into the office between school, work, and other activities. But summertime offers you more free time — so take advantage of that and schedule your hygiene and follow-up appointments.

Regular dental appointments are necessary to ensure your teeth are in good shape and your orthodontic treatment is working as intended.

Take Your First Step Toward a Beautiful, Healthy Smile

Our skilled team at Holistic Orthodontics prioritizes making our patients comfortable and giving them high-quality treatment that lasts. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. David Berrios and the rest of our team are dedicated to running an orthodontics practice that makes your unique needs the exclusive focus.