Keeping Up with Kids’ Dental Habits During Summer

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Salud Today Guest Blogger

Jefferson Dental Clinics

While summer break is most certainly a time to rest and adventure with family, disruption of regular routines and less daily supervision can have destructive effects on the dental health of children.

“It is important for children to learn and recognize that dental health is a year-round practice, not simply a practice for when it’s convenient,” says Dr. Leslie Townsend, DDS., Regional Dental Director at Jefferson Dental Clinics. “Summertime is a great time for parents to reinforce daily brushing and flossing habits with their kids.”

Historically high levels of tooth decay in Latino children coupled with heightened advertising of sugary beverages and ample free time, elevate the risk of forming dental cavities during the relaxed summer months.  Keeping up with kids’ dental health during the summer is important for keeping kids healthy all year long.

Families can use these tips for maintaining healthy dental habits throughout the summer:

• Plan ahead. Keep a travel kit with an extra toothbrush, toothpaste and floss packed for impromptu overnight stays. Collapsible/travel toothbrushes are also extremely convenient for on the go.
• Hydrate! The saliva produced from drinking water helps to rinse away harmful acid and bacteria, which can eventually lead to tooth decay.
• Cut back on sugary drinks. Sounds easy enough, right? Latino children actually see twice the number of ads for soft drinks than their White peers. It takes as little as 30 minutes for the acid in soda to begin wearing at tooth enamel.
• Snack smart. With less supervision during the summer, children may be easily tempted by the contents of your pantry. Keep fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies and nuts easily accessible at eye-level and in reach of little hands, you can even buy in bulk and pre-portion snacks in small sandwich bags.
• Create reminders to help kids remember to brush twice daily. Keep a fun brush chart to track daily brushing progress or download a brushing timer ap to your mobile devices to encourage oral hygiene.
• Make a visit to your dentist. Summer is the perfect time to schedule dental exams. It gives your dentist an opportunity to help reinforce the importance of regular brushing, flossing and give kids instructions on how to remove the most plaque possible.

Keeping up with dental habits through the summer can be as easy as planning ahead and packing healthy snacks. Summertime offers a million reasons to smile, make sure your child’s smile is as bright and healthy as can be. For more dental tips visit www.jeffersondentalclinics.com.