The warmer weather is kicking in and you can bet you’re going to need an icy treat or two to get you through a long hot summer’s day. Your Lower Hutt dentist wants your summer season to be as easy and fun as possible – without toothache and breakage getting in the way – so let’s talk teeth and how to protect them this summer!
Ice cream is not for chewing
We’ve all either bitten or witnessed someone taking a bite of an ice cream. The worst instance of this is when the ice cream chewing person in question winces in pain and exclaims that biting ice cream has hurt them. The bottom line is that eating ice cream with our teeth (rather than our tongues) hurts, and burying your teeth in frozen creamy sugar is going to cause you long term trouble as the thick sugar matter in ice cream likes to stick around.
Opt to eat your frozen creamy treat with a spoon, or get it served with a straw in a nice milkshake. At least the straw will mean that the sugar in your treat bypasses your teeth!
Pool perimeters
This topic can get really nasty, so we’ll save you the gory details and just put out a simple warning: please don’t underestimate the perimeters of pools this summer. The concrete or slippery surface area around a pool is covered in a slimy chemical-rich layer of water.
Running around a pool essentially gambles your teeth if you happen to slip face first onto that dangerous surface.
Diving is also a huge dental hazard:
- Don’t attempt any flips in a concrete-rimmed pool because a poor landing is not going to be forgiving on your face and teeth
- Don’t try any stunts on a diving board if you aren’t experienced…you don’t want your face or jaw to catch you on your way into the pool
- Please don’t push an unprepared person into a pool – too many times the victim of a push has tried to fight back and the struggle has cause someone to slip on their way in the pool – they usually clip their pearly whites as they fall into the water at a bad angle
Parties don’t pardon dental hygiene
You’ll most likely receive a fair few invites to drinks here and there this summer. No matter how late you get home (or how hard it is to get there) it’s essential to give your teeth a scrub before you sleep. No excuses!
Falling asleep with alcohol-soaked teeth is begging for damage to be done to your dentine. Keep a brush, paste and fresh glass of water by the bed if you find yourself too tired to trawl into the bathroom when you get home late. We’re glad you had fun, but don’t let it be at the expense of your teeth!
We know that some of these tips seemed a little obvious, but you’d be surprised how often common sense gets thrown out the window when we’re too busy being wrapped up in the excitement of our fun summer activities. Take our article as a friendly little reminder that your teeth still need TLC while you’re enjoying the sunny season.
Remember: healthy teeth look great in all your summer selfies!