WARM WEATHER IS ON THE WAY

Important Dental-Centered Tips to Consider

It’s that time of year when the earth leans a wee bit closer to the sun and ushers in … what those of us in the northern hemisphere have been looking forward to for a long time … warm weather!

Off come the jackets, and out comes the sunscreen, the bikes, and the swim and sports gear for all the summer activities.  With that in mind, let’s check out a few dental-centered tips to keep in mind while you’re out there soaking up the sun.

Cover Up Your Lips

We’re usually good at lathering up with sunscreen before our summer activities.  But how often are you covering up your lips as well?  Cancers of the lip are just as deadly as any other type of cancer, and as you might imagine, terribly disfiguring. So, polish up those lips with as high an SPF as you’d like this summer and keep those kissers safe!

Don’t Sip All Day

With the summer heat, you’ll want to stay hydrated, and water should be your best friend. Adults tend to cheat a bit, but kids are inclined to stick to what you give them. So if a nice cold bottle of water is what you provide, that’s what they’ll drink.

Sports Drinks, Soda, Sweet Tea & Juices

The key word is moderation. Not only do these drinks have tons of sugar in them, but the continued sipping of those sugary beverages keeps your teeth bathed in cavity-inducing carbs. If you’re going to indulge, try to at least rinse or follow up a sweet beverage with plain water. 

FIRE UP THE GRILL

Meats and vegetables cooking over the fire not only smell terrific, but are great for your kids’ teeth as well. Meats and vegetables help to re-mineralize teeth and support healthy bones, so get cookin’!

TUNE UP THE BIKE

Don’t forget, just like a car that’s been sitting in a garage for months is going to need a safety tune-up before getting back on the road again, so too is a bicycle that’s been locked up in cobweb-city for six months. Do your kids, and their teeth, a favor and do a safety check of their bike. There’s nothing worse than taking the bike out for a spin when summer hits only to have a wheel come off, a face hit the ground and kiddie crowns installed on the same day.

Most importantly, summer will be over before you know it…so get outside, enjoy the sun, get your Vitamin D, enjoy the water if you can, and have fun with your family.