Good dental health isn’t seasonal; your mouth, teeth, and gums are with you always, and need to be kept clean and healthy all year round. Still, it can be difficult not to automatically think of smiling when you think of summer. Even if you’ve long left school and no longer get the whole summer off, the warm, bright sun and overall feeling of relaxation can still encourage more smiles than the dreary months you’ve left behind. For better or worse, the unique conditions of summer can also have a significant impact on your dental health, from the sun itself to the methods you choose to beat the heat and stay hydrated.
Sunshine and Your Smile
In the comic books, Superman absorbs the radiation from the sun to gain and keep his incredible strength. In real life, our bodies also absorb the sun’s radiation and produce nutrients that help with vital physiological processes—mainly, vitamin D. Moderate exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D production, which is essential for your body to absorb and use calcium. Besides keeping your bones strong (including the jawbone that supports your teeth), vitamin D and calcium are building blocks of your teeth and the highly-resilient enamel that surrounds them. To avoid exposure to too much UV radiation, Dr. Pizzi and Dr. Messina recommend using a healthy amount of sunscreen whenever you’re out in the sun.
Refreshment Without the Risks
Even though the sun is helping your body operate efficiently, it can also make you sweat out all of your body’s moisture, leading to dehydration if you’re not careful. To keep your teeth safe and your smile bright, we advise avoiding sugary and acidic beverages, like sodas, fruit juices, and sports drinks, and opting for water as often as possible instead. For variety, you can buy sugar-free flavored water at most grocery stores, and freeze the water in ice trays at home to make homemade popsicles. Unsweetened iced tea can also help keep you refreshed without exposing your teeth to damaging acids.
ABOUT YOUR SHREWSBURY DENTISTS:
At Modern Dentistry, Todd A. Pizzi, DDS, and Luciana Messina, DDS, are dedicated to providing high-quality cosmetic, restorative, and preventive dentistry services to patients and families in Shrewsbury, Worcester, North and South Grafton, Westborough, Southborough, Northborough, Boylston, Hopkinton, Millbury, and all surrounding communities. To schedule your next appointment, contact our office by calling (508) 842-6356 today.
