Keep Your Teeth Healthy All Summer Long
As summer quickly approaches, fun is probably the most important thing on your mind. While it's okay to let loose, don't neglect your oral health as there are a number of summertime risks you may have overlooked.
Sporting Activities
Summer creates the perfect backdrop for sporting activities like basketball, soccer or even football. While enjoyable, these activities increase your risk for injuries like tooth loss. As much as 39% of all dental injuries are incurred while participating in sporting activities.
Protect your teeth by wearing a mouth guard. A lost tooth isn't just a cosmetic concern. It may also promote bone loss and increase your risk of an oral infection so it's best to avoid this scenario. If you will be engaging in these activities frequently, consider having a custom mouth guard designed by your dentist.
Swimming
Chlorine kills harmful bacteria in pool water and keeps you protected. However, too much chlorine is not a good thing, particularly when it comes to your teeth. When there is too much chlorine in the water, this elevates the water's pH level. When you swim, it's not uncommon for some of the water to make its way into your mouth.
The danger in this is that elevated pH levels increase the risk of enamel erosion. Enamel erosion is irreversible and can cause increased sensitivity and staining. To combat this issue, leave your pool upkeep to a professional company to ensure the pH levels remain at a safe rate. If you're not sure that a pool is properly maintained, don't swim in it.
Staying On Schedule
Stay on schedule with your dental hygiene and care needs. Summer is a time for relaxing, but especially for people with children, this lax behavior can make it easy to get off schedule. For example, with later bedtimes for your children, you might forget to remind them to brush their teeth at night. Should this become a regular mistake, you could increase their risk for cavities.
If you have several vacations planned, but summer is also the time for your scheduled checkup, don't forget your appointment. Regular checkups allow providers to quickly spot a problem, such as decay, which affords you the opportunity to rectify the problem before it gets out of hand.
Don't let an oral health concern put a damper on your summertime fun. Make certain you are keeping you and your family's oral care a priority all summer long.
Have a peek here for more information on proper oral care.
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