You know that your smile requires good oral habits, like brushing and flossing regularly, to stay healthy. But if you engage in certain harmful behaviors, you could seriously harm your dental health.
Leave Behind Poor Oral Habits This Summer
With summertime around the corner, you may look forward to relaxing in the sunshine and taking a vacation. However, warm and pleasant weather might tempt you to revert to certain habits that could prove dangerous to your oral health.
If you are aware of the risks associated with certain behaviors, you can more successfully curb them and keep your smile in good shape. Read on to learn about three habits that tend to arise in the summer that might hurt the look and feel of your smile.
Chewing Ice
Ice cubes can keep your drink at a delightfully chilled temperature, which proves refreshing when the weather is hot during the summer. When you reach the end of your beverage, it can feel tempting to consume the ice as well as chew on it.
But if you bite down on a frozen ice cube, your teeth cannot withstand the resulting high pressure. You will face a high risk of cracking, chipping, or fracturing a tooth. While tooth breakage can disrupt your smile’s appearance, this dental injury can also leave your smile vulnerable to tooth decay, infections, and other issues.
You will need urgent repair from a dentist to fix a broken tooth. Otherwise, the injury may deepen and worsen. Prevent the need for this dental work by avoiding risky habits like chewing ice.
Drinking Soda
Sipping a cool beverage on a sunny summer day can be the ultimate way to chill out. Many people enjoy fizzy sodas or tangy citrus juices during this type of weather. But these beverages could pose a threat to your dental health.
Citrus fruits and juices contain high levels of acid that can wear down your tooth enamel over time. Weakened teeth could be in danger of cavities. Sugar becomes acidic in the mouth and can pose this same risk to your teeth.
For this reason, you should limit sugary and acidic foods and drinks in your diet. Water will make a great alternative beverage to drink this summer. It can feel refreshing while boosting oral hygiene.
Skipping Regular Dental Care
For many people, summer marks a time to take a break from your usual stressors in life. But you should not skip some daily routines, including oral hygiene. Make sure you continue to brush your teeth twice a day and floss on a daily basis this summer.
Without consistent oral hygiene, plaque and other residues will cling to your teeth and eat away at your dental structure. This can cause irreversible damage that may make you more prone to decay and other dental issues.
Visit your dentist on a regular basis as well to maximize preventive care for your smile. If you are due for your routine dental check-up this summer, make sure to book that appointment as soon as you can.