For countless people in Houston, summertime is the season to let loose by hanging out with friends and catching some rays in Galveston or visiting the local bars and pop-ups along Westheimer. The last thing that you want to be worrying about is a cavity or broken tooth that requires emergency dental care. Read on to learn five tips to keep your oral health on the right track so you can get the most out of your summer.
Stay Hydrated with Water
While it may be tempting to hydrate yourself with sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, these aren’t the best options for your oral health because they’re packed full of sugar. While it’s not a bad thing to drink these occasionally, exposing your teeth to sugar throughout the day can make your mouth the perfect home for harmful oral bacteria that are known to cause cavities and gum infections.
Avoid Snacking Throughout the Day
When you’re at the beach or out at a bar enjoying socializing with your friends, it can be tempting to snack on appetizers, chips, or other goodies while you’re hanging out. Unfortunately, this isn’t the best decision for your teeth. Just like sugars, exposing yourself to carbohydrates throughout the day can help feed harmful oral bacteria. Plus, by continuously snacking, you won’t be giving your saliva enough time to rinse away the food debris from your teeth.
Instead of Coffee, Try Iced Green Tea
Did you know that green tea has cavity preventive properties? Studies have shown that it contains specials compounds that slow down the process of cavity development. Plus, it won’t stain your teeth, making it an excellent alternative to your regular iced coffee.
Stick to Your Oral Hygiene Routine
If you go on vacation during the summer or are taking some time off of work to enjoy the beautiful weather, then it could affect your oral hygiene routine by altering your daily schedule. No matter where you go on vacation or what you do on your time off, maintaining a regular oral hygiene routine of brushing your teeth twice each day and flossing daily is crucial to keep oral problems from forming.
Don’t Forget to Schedule Your Checkup & Cleaning
Lastly, if you haven’t scheduled your bi-annual checkup and cleaning and you’re due for one, then now’s the perfect time. If you do have any lingering decay, your dentist can treat it before it has a larger impact on your smile and could result in a trip to the emergency dentist.
These five oral health tips are small, everyday things that you can be mindful of to maintain a healthy smile throughout the summer so you can get the most out of your vacation.
About the Practice
Our team at Tamborello Dental Associates takes immense pride in providing our patients with high-quality, honest, and thorough dental care. We utilize the latest technology, like our intraoral cameras and digital X-rays, to help teach patients about their smiles and how they can take great care of them. With patient education playing a key role in the style of dentistry that we offer, we hope to keep our patients’ smiles intact and fully functional. For questions or to schedule an appointment for a checkup and cleaning, visit Tamborello Dental Associates’ website or call 713-522-7540.