4 Tips for Keeping Your Smile Healthy This Summer

Maintaining a healthy smile is harder than it looks, especially at this time of year. With all of the summer get-togethers and other events you have planned, finding the time to keep your smile bright and camera-ready can be challenging. Not to mention, many popular summer activities can harm your teeth if you’re not careful. To keep your smile as radiant as the sun, make sure to follow these four summer oral health tips from a dentist in Burleson, TX.

1. Stay Hydrated  

Over the next few months, you’ll probably be sweating a lot in the Texas heat. You’ll need to take precautions to avoid dehydration. When you’re not sufficiently hydrated, your mouth doesn’t produce as much saliva as it should. Saliva is actually your mouth’s first line of defense against tooth decay and infections, as it rinses leftover food particles and cavity-causing bacteria from your teeth and gums.

To prevent dehydration, make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day – particularly if you’re spending lots of time outside. Ideally, you should stay hydrated with water since it has no sugar.

2. Use a Straw

If you’re going to enjoy a sugary, acidic, or alcoholic beverage this summer, sip it through a straw whenever you can. That way, the liquid won’t make as much direct contact with your teeth. Not only does this minimize the risk of staining, but it makes it harder for harmful bacteria in your mouth to produce acid that leads to cavities and gum disease.

3. Get Plenty of Fluoride

There’s a good chance that your toothpaste contains fluoride, a natural mineral that fortifies your tooth enamel and reduces your risk for cavities. If you really want to keep your smile healthy, try to drink tap water when you can. Most sources of tap water add fluoride to improve the oral health of the local population. Unless you’re traveling to an area where drinking tap water might be unsafe, don’t hesitate to ask for some.

4. Wear a Mouthguard

From slipping on a wet poolside to a missed throw in a game of beach volleyball, summer is rife with situations that could result in a dental emergency. To protect your pearly whites from damage, wear a mouthguard whenever there’s a risk of damage to your smile. If you invest in a custom mouthguard from a dentist in Burleson, you’ll get a more comfortable and protective solution than a cheaply made guard from the local pharmacy.

Keeping your smile healthy during the summer might be difficult, but with these four tips, it should be a breeze. Feel free to ask your dentist for more personalized advice!

About the Practice

At Marvel Dental, our phenomenal dental team welcomes patients of all ages and every stage of oral health without lectures or judgment. Whether it’s been six months or six years since your last visit, we’re here to help. Call (817) 933-3883 to schedule your appointment and get the care and support you need from an experienced team.