4 Ways to Keep Kids’ Teeth Safe In Summer

To kids, summer is a time to play outside, go swimming, and have all kinds of adventures.

But even though it’s a carefree time of year, it’s still important for them to take care of their teeth. Here are some simple ways you can keep their teeth safe as they play from dawn to dusk.

1. Swimming: Frequent swimmers are prone to something called “swimmer’s calculus,” which causes yellow-brown or dark brown stains on teeth. These spots are the result of pool water treatment chemicals coming in contact with teeth. This usually happens when people spend more than six hours a week in the pool. The good news is that it’s a cosmetic condition that can be easily removed by dentists. As a precaution, you may want to schedule an extra dentist if the kids do a lot of swimming.
2. Diving: If you plan on doing any scuba diving this summer, you may experience something called “tooth squeeze,” or pain in the center of the tooth. The changes in air pressure combined with divers biting too hard on the regulators can result in jaw pain, gum issues or tooth pain. Have the whole family’s teeth checked prior to any scuba excursions.
3. Pool safety: Many summertime dental injuries occur around the pool. Two of the most common causes are slipping and falling, and playing too rough. Talk to your kids to make sure they do not run around the pool or roughhouse in or around it.
4. Summer sports: When playing any contact sport-even if it’s just for fun-make sure your kids wear helmets and mouthguards. Mouthguards prevent more than 200,000 dental injuries each year.