School’s out, the sun’s blazing, and the days are longer – summer has officially arrived! After a crazy year of lockdown, thanks to the pandemic, you and your family might be more ready than ever to go on a fun vacation. Whether you go on a weekend road trip or fly to a foreign country, your oral health could easily derail your plans for adventure if you’re not careful. Here are a few tips to prevent dental emergencies from ruining the fun.
Establish a Routine
Now that your little ones are out of school, you may need to remind them that they still need to brush and floss every day, even during summer vacation. Following a good oral hygiene routine is critical to prevent dental problems, such as tooth decay and cavities. Stay on track while on the go by packing a kit with travel-sized toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss.
Pack Healthy Snacks
People tend to snack more during long car rides or flights since there’s not much else to do. Unfortunately, tooth decay can be a real risk after a summer of eating too many sugary, starchy, or acidic foods. Keep your family’s mouths safe by packing nutritious snacks, such as apples, berries, carrots, celery, plain yogurt, cheese, and nuts.
Stay Hydrated
While lounging by the pool, it can be tempting to cool down with lemonade, fruit juice, sports drink, or soda. But these drinks contain unhealthy amounts of sugar, damaging your enamel and causing tooth decay. While you can still enjoy these beverages in moderation, drinking plenty of water will help clean your teeth, wash away harmful bacteria, and stimulate healthy saliva production. It’s truly the best drink for your mouth and body – so encourage everyone to stay hydrated!
Brush Up on Pool Safety
Swimming pool accidents are one of the leading causes of dental emergencies during the warmer months. Running on a slippery pool deck, diving into shallow water, and even swimming in a busy pool can lead to mouth injuries. Before your family goes for a swim, brush up on pool safety and always encourage your children to follow safe practices!
Require a Mouthguard
Is your family more active during summer? Unfortunately, sports like swimming, biking, basketball, and volleyball can increase your risk of serious injury. Common mouth injuries include broken or chipped teeth, fractured roots, and cut lips. So, before participating in any full-contact sports, make sure you and your loved ones wear a mouthguard to avoid a damaged smile.
Prepare a Dental Emergency Kit
An accident may still occur despite following every safety measure in the book – it happens! Luckily, you can be prepared to handle these unfortunate situations by keeping a dental emergency kit with you that includes:
- Your dentist’s office and emergency phone number
- Gauze
- A clean handkerchief
- A sealable container
- Saline solution
Don’t spend your vacation in a waiting room! By following these tips, you and your family can maintain happy and healthy smiles all season long.
About the Practice
For decades, our team at Collinsville Dental Associates has been helping patients of all ages achieve and maintain their best smiles. We provide comfortable, high-quality, and comprehensive dental services that the entire family can enjoy – all at one convenient location! Before going on vacation, schedule checkups for the family via our website to avoid dental complications during your much-needed time off.