Whether you are flying to an exotic location, enjoying a staycation here in the UK or simply taking a few days off to visit friends, never has the phrase ‘don’t forget your toothbrush’ been more apt. The summer may seem like the carefree season but there are lots of oral health risks just waiting to catch you unaware.
To help you, your teeth and gums stay healthy, here are our pick of summer oral health care tips:
- Check up before you check in – the dentist may not be top of your pre-holiday priority list, but booking in for your check up before you go will ensure you don’t have any dental health worries to spoil your fun. A scale and polish will also ensure your smile looks its best for those inevitable holiday snaps!
- Choose water – it may be tempting to opt for sugary drinks to cool you down after a hard day on the beach but remember that regular consumption of drinks with a high sugar and acidic content can lead to increased tooth decay and dental erosion, so stick to water wherever possible. If you’re heading overseas, it may be wiser to drink bottled water to reduce the risk of picking up a stomach bug.
- Limit sugary food intake – again, it can sometimes be difficult to avoid the temptation of another ice cream or that second scone with clotted cream and jam whilst on holiday. We recommend you keep an eye on your intake of sugary foods and try where possible to stick to three meals a day rather than having lots of snacks to minimise your risk of dental decay and erosion.
- Pucker up and protect your lips – you may be accustomed to slapping on the sun cream to protect your face and body from the sun’s harmful rays but don’t forget about your lips! Prolonged exposure to the sun could lead to forms of oral cancer.
- Drink responsibly – in warmer weather it is important we drink more to keep hydrated but this doesn’t mean you have to increase your consumption of alcoholic drinks. Remember that no matter how attractive that exotic cocktail looks it is most likely full of sugar, which if consumed regularly could lead to tooth decay. Alcohol is also a leading cause of oral cancer so the best advice we can give is to drink responsibly.
- Beware the sporting injury – part of the fun on holiday is participating in leisure sports such as swimming, beach ball and water sports, but sadly oral sporting injuries are an all too common occurrence during the summer months. Whilst you can’t prevent accidents from happening, being aware of some of the most common dangers, such as being hit in the mouth by a swinging bat in a game of beach rounders, or knocking your teeth when jumping into a swimming pool, will hopefully reduce your risk and keep you and family safe.
- Don’t forget your toothbrush – it goes without saying but in the manic packing process even the most vital items can get left behind. We suggest you pack your toothbrush first and that way, hopefully you won’t forget it!
Whatever you do this summer we hope you have a fantastic break and don’t forget to keep your dental appointments up to date. If you need to cancel an appointment or book in for your next check-up, call the Riverside Dental Spa team today on 020 7091 0677.
