Four Ways to Protect Your Teeth Whilst on Holiday

It’s that happy time of year again when the countdown to holiday season is well and truly on. If you’re planning to jet off and enjoy exotic climes, don’t forget to take good care of your smile. The last thing you want is a dental injury to scupper your plans. Here are 4 tips to protect your teeth this summer:

  1. Book a dental check before you go: if you haven’t been to the dentist in the last 6-12 months, it’s a brilliant idea to book a check-up before you go. Routine checks enable dentists to have a look for any potential problems and warnings signs. If there are issues, your dentist can address them before you go away, reducing the risk of pain and other unpleasant symptoms on your travels.
  2. Wear a seat belt: we tend to be more relaxed about health and safety when we go abroad. If you’re hiring a car or hailing a cab, always make sure you wear a seat belt like you would at home. If you are involved in accident, your seat belt will help to lower the risk of injuries, including chipped, broken and dislodged teeth.
  3. Cut down on sugary drinks: many of us like to cool off with a cold fizzy drink when we’re away. It’s important to stay hydrated, but take care when choosing what to drink. Fizzy drinks are laden with sugar and even the diet versions are acidic, which puts the enamel at risk. Stick to water, and if you do fancy something sweet, use a straw and avoid drinking juices and fizzy pop between meals.
  4. Don’t use your teeth to open bottles: you’re hosting a barbeque and the villa or apartment you’ve rented doesn’t have a bottle opener. What do you do? Hopefully, you wouldn’t choose to try and use your teeth to do the job, but research shows that this is an option many would take. This can chip and break the teeth, leaving you with misshapen, weak teeth.