Within a couple of weeks before and after this entry, schools will release kids young and old out into the world for days, weeks, or months of fun in the sun. In any case, summer vacation represents the perfect time for a dentist appointment and an even better time to begin (or maintain) good dental habits at home.
Our 6 Tips for Summer Break Dental Habits
While the dentist may not be the first thing on the minds’ of students and parents preparing for a break from the day-to-day activities brought about by school, it is an opportunity for habits to improve or decline. If you want your kids to enter next year’s classes with a brighter smile, then follow these few key tips:
Make an Appointment
As mentioned above, summer break is the ideal time to get your children in for dental check-ups and procedures that are nigh impossible to schedule around classes. Whether you have youngsters at home all summer from grade school or college students that will be going away for summer classes in a couple of short weeks, you’ll never find a better time to get one or all of the kids in for a conflict-free appointment. While the decision to go to the dentist on a day of summer vacation may not be popular with everyone you strap into the car, remember that summer weather also makes for the ultimate good behavior bribes: Ice cream, fun in the sun, and time with friends – all of which you can use as bargaining chips to get them into the dentist’s office for a short check-up.
Stick to Your Schedule
Just because your kids don’t have to get up at 6 am to get ready for school any longer, that doesn’t mean that you should allow them to sleep half the day and forget to brush their teeth when they wake up. Often, we find that the structure provided by the school year makes it easy for kids to remember to brush first thing in the morning and last thing before bed; removing the structure of school and adopting a schedule-free day can make those habits all but disappear. If your kids like to stay up late and sleep in, be sure to remind them to brush in spite of this – and feel free to threaten them with getting up as if it were school, if you receive any pushback. Ultimately, however, it is much easier to keep up all of your family’s good habits if everyone keeps some semblance of school-time normalcy.
Take Care While Traveling
Another major summertime activity is vacationing. Nothing beats leaving the daily grind behind and getting away from it all for a few days (or weeks), and no time is better for this than during the school-free summer months. It can be easy to let your homebound habits, such as brushing and flossing, slip while your family is on vacation, but it is far from recommended. Instead, we suggest that you make packing travel-sized toothpaste, floss, and brushes a high priority and always lead the family by example, brushing and reminding to brush even amidst the fun of the trip. Just remember that it may not take long to unravel a good habit, such as brushing twice daily, but it will take a ton of effort to rebuild it! Once your family makes it back home after vacation, you need to be able to get back into good oral habits, for the summer and school year alike.
Adopt a Summer Diet
There is no easier time to change the things your family is eating than the summer. Not only are grocery stores at their most stocked stage and farmers markets found throughout town, boasting fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers, but the chaos of during- and after-school activities aren’t the same pressing concern that they are during the rest of the year. Both of these factors combine to make summer the perfect time to instill some good eating habits and cut out some junk food, sweets, acids, and other unhealthy (and often tooth-damaging) products. While it may seem surprising, the simple difference that a diet change can have on the oral health of your family is actually quite profound. If you’re curious about how the foods you and your family choose to eat impact the health of your teeth and gums, check out some our past and future blog posts – or just call our office for some helpful tips and tricks we’ve picked up!
Don’t Wait ‘Til Fall
Of course, none of these tips matter if you allow the family’s summer plans to get in the way of their oral health, opting instead to wait until the structure of school starts back up. During the fall, you’ll be back to dealing with back-to-school shopping, setting up all-new morning routines, helping your kids acclimate to their new teachers and workload, and hundreds of other things that you simply don’t have to deal with during the summer. While it may be tempting to consider an appointment during the school day, nothing beats getting the kids out of the house and into a day of productivity and focus on their personal health and hygiene. During the summer months, we are especially happy to accept new patients (even entire families) that are looking to get ahead on the next year, which means now is the best time to act!
Schedule Today
Whether you’re looking to get your college student that will be traveling back for another term away in a few short weeks in for an appointment or looking to schedule time for the entire family to catch up on their semi-annual visits, summer is the perfect time to contact our Missoula dentist for an appointment! At Bitterroot Dental, the entire staff is committed to helping patients of all ages and oral health levels with high-quality, affordable dental care. We proudly offer the latest and greatest techniques and technologies to make your experience as enriching and enjoyable as possible.
