Bad Breath: You Don't Have to Live with It

While summer can bring sunshine and the opportunity to spend time outdoors, it can also pose a risk to your child's oral hygiene if you aren't vigilant when it comes to dental care. Maintaining the integrity of your kids' teeth during the summer can be especially challenging, as children are often not following their regular routine.

Here are three tips that you can use to ensure oral health doesn't suffer during the summer.

1. Make sure your kids drink a lot of water

Spending time in the summer heat can mean that your kids need more fluids to ward off dehydration. Rather than reaching for juice or a sports drink, encourage your kids to drink water instead. Water has no sugar or other additives that can harm the enamel on your kids' teeth.

Drinking a lot of water will also help to encourage proper saliva production, helping to fight off cavities over time. Having plenty of cold water available for your kids can be a simple and effective way to ensure better oral health throughout the summer.

2. Eat healthy snacks

During the summer, children usually don't have school. This means that they have more free time, which can mean increased snacking as a result of boredom. It's important that you keep a lot of healthy snacks available in your home for kids to eat during the summer months.

Stocking your pantry with items like dried fruit chips, nuts, and other healthy snacks will help deter kids from snacking on items that contain a lot of sugar. Consuming too much sugar could cause your kids to develop cavities, so healthy snacking can be a simple way to encourage better dental health during the summer.

3. Schedule a dental checkup.

Regular dental screenings play a critical role in helping to maintain your kids' oral health. Many parents try to get their kids in to see the dentist before school starts, which can make scheduling an appointment at the end of the summer challenging.

Make it a point to start your kids' summer off with a trip to the dentist. Not only will you be able to avoid the pre-school scheduling rush, but you will be able to have the dentist address any dental problems your kids have without requiring your children to miss out on valuable time in the classroom.

Visit a site like http://www.apollodentalcenter.com for more information on oral care.