Summer break is nearly upon us. While your child may have good oral health habits, when routines change you may find your kid isn’t as diligent about keeping up with their regular dental hygiene.
In addition to a lack of routine, summertime brings about a few other dental health concerns you’ll want to be mindful of so that your child’s teeth stay healthy year-round.
Good Oral Health Doesn’t Take a Vacation
Summer break is the perfect time to plan a family vacation, but with long road trips and lengthy flights, your child’s regular habits can fall to the wayside. You can easily keep up with a dental routine during travel by packing miniature toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and dental floss.
Even when traveling, you can always find places to take a few minutes and care for your child’s teeth. During road trips, make use of rest stops to practice regular dental habits, and on extended flights, you can use the airplane bathroom to brush and floss.
Make Nutrition a Priority
The hot summer months might have your child reaching treats such as ice cream or popsicles to beat the heat, but overconsumption of these sugary snacks are sure to lead to cavities.
You can still help your child cool down without the sugar rush, though. Instead of sweet summer staples like slushies, give your kid a smoothie made with fresh berries for a naturally sweetened snack that doesn’t put their teeth in danger.
Hydration is extra crucial during warm weather, but try to avoid letting your child guzzle lemonade, sodas, and sports drinks. Plain water is not only more hydrating, but it also cleanses your mouth as you drink.
Keep Kids Safe While Being Sporty
With school out and plenty of sunny days to enjoy, your child will likely stay busy with plenty of fun outdoor activities. While exercise is vital to your child’s health, the increase in physical activity can lead to some added safety hazards. Equip your child with a mouthguard to protect their teeth, mouth, and jaw from injury when they’re playing sports such as flag football or beach volleyball.
Even less intensive outdoor activities like visiting the pool can be dangerous if your child slips and chips a tooth. Prepare for dental emergencies by studying up on what to do if one occurs and saving your dentist’s number so you can quickly correct any issues before your kid’s oral health problems worsen.
Schedule a Summer Cleaning
Even if your child takes perfect care of their teeth this summer (and let’s be honest – kids are bound to have slip-ups), regular cleanings are essential to keep your child’s smile healthy. Plaque and tartar accumulate over time regardless of how often you brush and floss, and the only way to fully eliminate all that buildup is with professional teeth cleaning. A dental appointment also gives your Marietta dentist a chance to check your child’s general oral health to make sure their mouth stays in great shape.
Summer is often one of children’s most cherished, laziest times of the year, but that shouldn’t mean their oral health takes a break. Follow the advice in this blog so your kid can smile bright all summer long! For more children’s dental care advice, reach out to Dentistry at East Piedmont at 770-321-5558 or book a new patient exam online with our Marietta family dentistry professionals today.
Blog originally published May 2019 — updated May 2021.
