Whether you will spend your summer at home or vacation away, here are a few things to do that will help your smile stay its lovely best.
- Maintain sufficient saliva flow by drinking plenty of water on hot days. Chewing sugarless gum or using dry mouth rinses can also help by stimulating the flow of saliva. Keeping your mouth moist helps protect enamel by washing away debris that can cause tooth decay.
- Don’t chew ice! Although it may be tempting, this habit can chip or even crack teeth and wreck havoc on the restorative work you may already have completed.
- Tomatoes, sour candy, citrus fruits and acidic drinks like limeade are hard on tooth enamel. Remove the threat by avoiding the treat.
- If you swim more than six hours a week in chlorinated water, consult us if your teeth seem to turn yellow or brown. “Swimmer’s calculus” can result from repeated exposure to the higher pH contained in treated pools and needs to be removed with a professional cleaning.
- Walk—don’t run—on wet and/or slippery surfaces like pool and boat decks and docks. Falls that may occur can cause damage to your teeth that require immediate attention. Avoid the drama—slow down!
Following these steps all summer and all year-round will help you to preserve the beautiful smile you and your dentist have created with time and patience!