Spring Break is right around the corner. You know what that means, students. Mid-terms are over and it’s time to go to the beach, relax, drink, and party with your friends. Before you completely let go and have the time of your life, there are a few things you should know and consider while on vacation.
Sugary Drinks are Your Enemy
Staying mindful of all the drinks you’ve consumed throughout the day is difficult when you’ve been drinking, but it’s important to keep sugary drinks to a minimum. Drinking margaritas, cocktails, and mixed drinks with soda are very sugary. If you don’t know already, sugar contributes to tooth decay and other oral health concerns. Another thing to keep in mind is the longer your teeth are exposed to carbohydrates, the more likely you’ll develop cavities. Therefore, it is quite unhealthy if you continuously spend the day sipping sugary drinks. You may not think anything of it, but you’ll probably forget to brush your pearly whites twice a day so that short vacation may turn into an oral health disaster. You can still have fun, but try to keep the drinks at a minimum.
Attract Attention with your White Teeth
According to a national survey from the American Dental Association (ADA) and Crest and Oral B, the smile outranked eyes, hair and the body as the most attractive physical feature. So if you don’t have that beach body that you wish you had, it’s time to get your teeth whitened. Jefferson Dental Clinics offers free teeth whitening for life. All we ask is for you to come in for an initial exam, cleaning and x-rays and you keep up with our recommended dental visits (twice a year). You will receive a customized take-home whitening tray and whitening gel. We will supply you with 2 free tubes of whitening gel per visit and the teeth whitening trays for free! That way you can keep applying the whitening gel throughout the year to ensure you have a bright smile for everyone to see.
A List of Dental Tips for Spring Break
Don’t bring your electric toothbrush
A plain toothbrush will work, so you won’t have to charge it everyday! And remember to brush twice a day for two minutes!
Use proper tools to open packages and bottles
Make sure you use a bottle opener whenever you’re drinking out of a glass bottle that isn’t a twist off. No one will be impressed when you wind up cracking your tooth.
Avoid chewing on hard candy and ice cubes
Chewing on hard objects puts a lot of stress on your teeth. That, with the amount of sugary drinks you’ll probably be consuming, can lead to cracked or chipped teeth.
Drink Water
This sounds like something very basic, but drinking a lot of water throughout your spring break trip will keep you hydrated and rinse away any sugary residue from your teeth.
Eat a calcium rich breakfast
Your teeth and gums are made up of calcium, so it’s important to eat a nutritious breakfast that will help keep your teeth strong. Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products are a great sources of calcium.
