The season of warm weather, sunshine, beach vacations, and enjoying the great outdoors is here. 

But it’s vital to pay extra attention to your teeth during the summer. Summer brings several unique risks that can cause problems if you aren’t careful. Make sure you’re following these tips while you’re out enjoying the weather.

1. Don’t Stray From Your Routine

Summer provides a break from the humdrum of the rest of the year — vacations, barbecues, golfing, and all kinds of other social outings.

It’s easy to forget about your dental routine among all the fun. Be extra vigilant about maintaining your oral health habits. Brush at least twice a day, floss once a day, and you mouthwash. If you’re traveling for vacation, don’t forget to throw travel-sized oral health items in your bag!

2. Visit Your Dentist Before Traveling

On the note of traveling, make sure you visit your dentist before you leave for vacation. Doing so will allow your dentist to find and fix small problems early on. The last thing you want on your vacation is a dental emergency.

Additionally, it never hurts to have clean teeth before you head out for your destination. You’ll have a bright, white smile for all those vacation photos.

3. Be Careful About Sweet Summer Treats

Summer means cold sodas, ice cream, popsicles, smoothies, and other sugary delights. And while these refreshing frozen treats help you beat the heat, they’re not great for your teeth. 

The sugar in these treats attracts bacteria. These bacteria consume the sugar and leave enamel-destroying acid on your teeth.

We’re not saying you have to give up frozen treats, but eat/drink them in moderation.

4. Stay Hydrated

As much as we love warm weather, it can also lead to dehydration. Aside from the overall bodily health effects, dehydration can cause serious problems for your teeth and mouth.

But again, what you use to stay hydrated matters. Sugary drinks still pose that risk of damaging your teeth we mentioned earlier — eliminating any oral health benefit you’d gain from keeping yourself hydrating.

5. Get the Right Amount of Sun

Ever wonder why you feel so good in the sunlight? Aside from the warmth, sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D, which helps to keep your immune system healthy. Studies have linked adequate vitamin D to a reduced risk of oral disease as well.

But always be careful of sunburn. We all know the dangers of excessive sun exposure. Use appropriate factor sunscreen and don’t forget to protect your lips as well, as they are often forgotten.

Follow these recommendations, and dental worries will be the last thing on your mind. If you have any other questions about your oral health, or you’d like to ensure your teeth are in top shape for the summer, schedule an appointment with Absolute Smile today!