Summer Loving: How to Keep your Teeth Pristine

1.   Use your hands rather than your teeth

Please. Your teeth are not tools and should not be used to open wrappers, bottles or bags. Yes, it’s convenient to use your teeth, but the damage you can cause to teeth can be significant. Chipped teeth or a broken tooth needs dental care as soon as you can get to our Riccarton dental clinic. Remember, your teeth are simply for chewing food!

2.   Use a mouthguard for outdoor sports

Looking after your teeth should be a priority when playing sports outside – especially contact sports. There is a reason why professional athletes use mouthguards – it’s because the damage caused can be serious and costly! Whether you are playing frisbee or cricket, you need to protect your teeth from damage. You can wear a mouthguard even if you have Invisalign braces, ask your dentist for information.

3.   Everything in moderation

The holiday season is a break from the norm, and indulgence becomes temporarily acceptable. However, overindulging with fizzy drinks, alcohol, sweets, and chocolate is a one-way ticket to teeth damage. Sugar allows the harmful bacteria in your mouth to thrive, so it’s important you brush your teeth after you’ve had your fill. Also, try to eat sweets in one or two sittings rather than grazing all day. 



4.   Use toothpaste for sensitive teeth

Summer is the season for ice-cold treats to reveal sensitive teeth. Sensitive teeth can feel incredibly painful, so it’s important to get any tooth pain checked out by a dentist to confirm the cause. Once the dentist has confirmed your treatment plan for sensitive teeth, use the special toothpaste for sensitive teeth, it really is useful to limit the pain. 



5.   Protect your lips with spf

Your lips are an important part of your mouth’s anatomy and play a key role in maintaining oral health, and they are often overlooked. Your lips have very thin skin and are prone to burn which can lead to some types of cancer. Always use a product with 30 spf or above to protect your lips and reapply regularly.

At Duxton Dental we are always pleased to see our patients, many of whom have been with us for years. However, when we see patients beyond their regular check-ups, it’s because there is something amiss with their teeth or oral health. Follow the advice above, to keep away from our dental clinics over summer. If you do need to seek dental care, please contact us here or call 03 348 5488 to arrange an appointment.  

Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.