5 Tips to Keep Your Smile Sunny This Summer

Now that it’s finally summer, it’s time to kick back, relax, and have fun! However, enjoying all your favorite seasonal foods and activities can be tough on your oral health. The last thing you need is for your fun in the sun to be cut short by a cavity or broken tooth. Thankfully, a few simple precautions can ensure your smile stays happy, healthy, and intact all season long. Here’s how your Edison dentist recommends protecting your oral health while enjoying summertime.

Tip #1: Don’t Forget to Brush

The warm summer months are an excellent time to go on family vacations or simply relax at home. Wherever you’re going, don’t forget to keep up your daily dental routine. Although this habit can be easy to forget or put off or forget, it’s one of the best ways to prevent issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections. Make sure you’re taking the time to brush for at least two minutes twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly.

Tip #2: Enjoy Summer Activities Safely

Many of us will be heading to the pool, the skating rink, and the park to enjoy some summer sports and seasonal activities. If you’re planning on playing a contact sport, you should always wear a properly fitting mouthguard to protect your teeth. Your smile can get seriously injured while you’re at the pool as well. It’s essential to follow pool safety rules like don’t run on wet surfaces, don’t jump into shallow areas of the pool, and always be aware of how close you are to the concrete lip of the pool.

Tip #3: Eat Smile-Friendly Summer Foods

This time of year, ice cream, soda, and other sugary snacks are in abundance, which can quickly lead to summertime cavities. The easiest way to lower your risk of tooth decay is to keep unhealthy foods out of the house or at least out of sight. Instead, stock up on snacks that can improve your oral health, like foods that are calcium-rich, high in fiber, and contain a lot of vitamin C.

Tip #4: Stay Hydrated the Right Way

As the temperatures rise, you’ll probably be reaching for your favorite drink to quench your thirst. Unfortunately, most popular beverages like sports drinks and fruit juices are high in both sugar content and acidity. Instead of sipping on items that burn through your enamel, make water your drink of choice this summer. Not only does water wash away other particles in your mouth that can cause cavities, but most tap water is fortified with fluoride and can make your teeth even stronger.

Tip #5: Take a Trip to See Your Dentist

While it may not be the first activity that comes to mind, summer is the perfect time to get your biannual dental checkup. You’ll likely have more availability to schedule a visit and any necessary follow up appointments. Seeing your dentist early in the summer can help prevent any small issues before they can develop into larger issues while you’re away on vacation.  

Don’t forget about your oral health this summer! Use these simple yet effective tips to keep your smile sunny all season long.

About the Author

Dr. Hiren H. Shah of Signature Smiles has been serving the families of Edison, NJ for well over a decade now. He uses state-of-the-art dental technology alongside an array of patient amenities to ensure every appointment is as comfortable, effective, and pleasant as possible. With over 1,000 hours of continuing education in a variety of advanced topics and an active membership in the American Dental Association, he is able to help you overcome nearly any oral health issue that stands between you and your ideal smile. If you’d like more tips on keeping your smile healthy this summer, he encourages you to contact him via his website or at (908) 834-8448.