If you haven’t had it already, you’ll likely have your summer vacation soon. The weather at the popular trip spots is getting hot and sunny now! That said, be careful while you’re out having fun. The fact is that various summer pastimes are risky for your grin. Without the right precautions, your vacation could cause severe oral issues. Luckily, your Temple dentist is here to provide helpful guidance. Here are four summer activities risky for smiles and ways to make them safer.
Swimming in a Pool
Pool swimming is a classic example of summer fun, so you could easily assume it’s safe for your mouth. However, this activity can harm your teeth if you don’t pay close attention.
You see, water in swimming pools often gets acidic. The chlorine it uses to kill bad bacteria can lower its pH balance by several notches. As a result, a casual swim in this water could erode your tooth enamel. You’d then have to deal with sensitive teeth that are more vulnerable to cavities or gum disease.
Due to this risk, you should check a pool’s pH levels before you dive in. The ideal test-strip results will be somewhere between 7.2 and 7.8. If the values go lower than that, switch pools to avoid tooth damage.
Playing Contact Sports
While many folks spend summer cooling off, others use the season as a time to play contact sports. T This latter hobby is exciting but also dangerous for your oral health.
If you didn’t already know, contact sports tend to cause oral injuries. For example, a football player may knock out a tooth due to a rough tackle. Meanwhile, someone playing basketball could chip or crack their teeth if they get tripped. Such incidents will damage your oral health when you can’t prevent them.
Luckily, you can always wear a mouthguard while playing a sport. This device would protect your smile from injuries even as you focus on the game. You can even get a custom one from your dental provider.
Scuba Diving
If you scuba dive on your vacation, pay attention to your mouth as well as the oceanic sights. This summer activity could lead to painful oral problems.
You see, combining diving with dental issues (cavities, gum disease, etc.) can cause “diver’s mouth syndrome.” This condition is caused by clenching an ill-fitting mouthpiece while water pressure puts “the squeeze” on your teeth. It features symptoms like jaw joint pain, gum aches, and toothaches.
To avoid this nasty syndrome, schedule a dental checkup before your diving session. This visit should address and complete any dental work you need. From there, you can find a comfy, well-fitting mouthpiece that doesn’t cause pain.
Given the right approach, summer activities risky for smiles don’t have to harm your oral health. Just use advice like that above, and your smile can enjoy your vacation in peace!
About the Practice
Dr. Richard Fossum is a certified dentist based in Temple, TX. Having earned his DDS from the University of Texas Dental Branch – Houston, he knows how to keep smiles safe and beautiful. You can trust him for preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dental work, as well as emergency oral care. That means he and his team are always ready to protect and enhance your grin! Today, Dr. Fossum practices at his self-titled clinic and is reachable on his website and by phone at (254)-778-3900.