Summer Is Coming! Healthy Teeth Tips For The Whole Family

Our dental team at LANCO Dental Care in Lancaster, PA understands that summer is the time to kick back, relax, go on trips, and have some fun. However, it can mean your family might partake in consuming more sugary drinks, eating unhealthy snacks, and forgetting to brush as everyone rushes off to summer activities. Our team wants you to know that your oral health is vital throughout the entire year. During the summertime months, don't accidentally neglect your teeth and gums. Here is some helpful advice and tips on what you can do to keep your smile looking great while having fun.

Tips for healthy teeth during the summer

With the excitement of summer, our team knows it is easy to overlook your oral health. With summertime activities, many people consume unhealthy midnight snacks with staying up later, more sugary drinks in warmer weather, and daily brushing and flossing become less routine. While we all get out of our usual routine during summer, poor oral hygiene can allow tooth decay and other dental problems to set in. Your family can still have fun and maintain good dental health at the same time by following these tips:

• Keep more healthy foods and snacks in the refrigerator and pantry
• Keep hydrated with water, forgoing sugary sodas or sports drinks
• Pack travel-size toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss to have wherever you go
• Schedule dental checkups for the entire family now before school starts again
• Protect lips from the sun with sunscreen
• Avoid chewing on ice
• Carry an emergency dental kit on road trips or to sporting events

How to handle a dental emergency

With warmer weather, your family will enjoy more outdoor activities and sporting events. Unfortunately, that means more mishaps occur with cracked or chipped teeth, even having a tooth knocked out! Many dental accidents happen at the skateboarding park, on the soccer field, or at the pool. Protective gear, like knee pads or helmets, is the obvious equipment to keep your child safe but leaves their teeth exposed. A mouth guard can be an excellent solution to preserve your child's dental health year-round. At LANCO Dental Care, we provide custom-made mouth guards to our Lancaster, PA patients as a perfect solution to prevent serious dental injuries.

Another helpful tip is to have an emergency dental kit on hand when taking a day trip, going on vacation, or at the ball fields. It should include a soft cloth, gauze, and over-the-counter pain medication. If you or your child have a dental emergency and lose a tooth, you can minimize permanent damage by doing the following:

• Apply gauze to stop the bleeding
• Use warm water to clean the area
• Use ice or a cold pack to reduce swelling
• If a permanent tooth, put it back into the socket (if possible), and keep the tooth moist with a damp cloth until you get to the dentist

Avoid unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks

During the summer months, your kids are more likely to snack all day long. To ensure your family maintains their dental health throughout the summer, have more fresh, healthy choices on hand. Keep the refrigerator stocked with healthy snacks, like string cheese, low-fat yogurt, fruits, and vegetables. It is also essential during warmer months to stay hydrated. Instead of having sodas or sports drinks on hand, keep bottled water available or provide reusable water bottles to fill up before heading out. Drinking or eating unhealthy snacks or drinks all day long causes enamel-attacking acid to build up, increasing the risk of tooth decay. Promote healthy snacks and hydration with your family this summer to protect their dental health.

Make your family's dental hygiene a priority this summer

We know summer can mess up your normal routine, but keep your family's oral health at the top of the list. If you model good dental hygiene, your kids will follow. Regardless of the time of year, our team at LANCO Dental Care wants to help you keep your smile healthy. If you are looking for a family dentist in Lancaster, PA, contact our office to set up a comprehensive exam and dental cleaning with our dedicated and caring team today.