Firework stands are now starting to pop up all over town. People are leaving grocery stores with carts full of meat and charcoal for their barbecues, and bakeries are creating tons of cupcakes decorated in red, white, and blue.
People often go all out and enjoy the 4th of July with friends and family. Unfortunately, all of their fun might not bode well for their teeth.
Avoid expensive dental repairs and painful 4th of July dental accidents with some tips and tricks and tooth-friendly food suggestions from Sunrise Dentistry.
4th of July Teeth Safety Tips
On the 4th of July, dentists also want to celebrate and join in the festivities, so finding an open dental office might be difficult if you ever find yourself in a 4th of July dental emergency. Protect your teeth with these safety tips for the holiday.
Drink plenty of water.
Soda and beer are very popular drinks at barbecues, but they’re not exactly tooth-friendly drinks. Make sure you drink water or at least take sips of water between sips of these drinks. Water is one of the best tooth-friendly drinks that help keep your teeth healthy and your mouth’s pH level normal. It’s also good for avoiding hangovers.
You can also make infused water with summer fruits for a more refreshing alternative but have a pitcher of plain water available to wash down any acidity from the fruits to protect your enamel.
Brush and floss every day.
Brushing and flossing daily, even on holiday, helps reduce the number of microorganisms in your mouth that can cause periodontal diseases and lower the risk of tooth loss and cavities.
Do not use your teeth as bottle openers.
People resort to all sorts of crazy tactics when the bottle opener goes missing, and teeth often replace them. It may sound absurd, but it happens more often than you imagine. It’s best to avoid opening bottles with your teeth; many 4th of July dentist visits are actually caused by beer bottle tooth injuries like cracks, breaks, and crowns falling out. They might also harm your gums.
Avoid dangerous shenanigans.
Pool parties are popular during the summer holidays because of the extreme heat in some areas. While a day at the pool is fun, everyone should carefully follow pool rules to help prevent accidents that could result in serious 4th of July teeth problems.
Prohibiting people from diving into the pool is valid; shallow water can do more harm than missing teeth or a broken nose.
Always wear safety equipment such as a helmet and mouthpiece if contact sport is on your celebration agenda. They will protect your head and pearly whites from harm.
Be careful when using fireworks. Lighting a firecracker near your face is not a great idea. Light the firework’s fuse, then quickly move several feet away to avoid injury. A firework display is always more welcoming than a hospital gurney if you follow safety guidelines.
Watch what you’re eating.
Refined sugars are known for causing tooth decay and increasingly larger waistlines.
Eating lots of sugar provides tooth decay-causing bacteria food, which they digest to produce acids that eat away at your enamel. These bacteria also interact with saliva and become plaque that sticks to your teeth and eventually causes cavities if not cleaned.
Pastries are not your only source of sugar in a Fourth of July celebration; sweet barbecue sauce also has high sugar content. It’s best to use honey or brown sugar for your barbecue sauce. You should also be careful in eating barbecued meat; you might bite into bone and chip or damage your teeth.
Not all hope of enjoying delicious Independence Day food is lost; you can still look into healthier, teeth-friendly food options like seasonal fruits and natural juices. Unlike high-refined sugar alternatives, these can still satisfy your sweet tooth without damaging your teeth,
Steer clear of hard foods.
Fourth of July barbecues are a great place to enjoy pretzels, ice, sodas pops, and hard candies. Avoid chewing on these foods and dip pretzels in water before eating. Otherwise, you might find yourself with a missing crown or a broken or chipped tooth searching for an open 4th of July dentist office.
Bring sugarless gum.
Daylong snacking is a popular Independence Day activity. You can keep your teeth clean by chewing sugarless ADA-approved gum to help remove food particles and stimulate saliva formation.
4th of July Teeth-Friendly Foods To Try
Many families celebrate the holiday with a barbecue or a meal outdoors. If you want to go for a more teeth-friendly feast, here are some delicious foods and drinks to include in your July Fourth celebrations:
Cheese Tray
Cheese is great for your dental health. Chewing on cheese stimulates saliva production to flush bacteria and food particles out of your mouth. It also neutralizes acids in foods and beverages and is rich in calcium and proteins that strengthen bones and enamel.
Burgers on Whole Wheat Buns
The high phosphorus levels in meat make it great for dental health. Your body needs phosphorus to reap the full benefits of calcium, like making your bones and teeth strong.
Make your burger a tooth-friendly food by serving them on whole-wheat buns. They’re better for your teeth because they don’t stick like regular bread, and bacteria take longer digesting whole grains.
Celery
Celery is one of nature’s natural floss. It’s a stringy vegetable that helps remove food particles stuck between your teeth and scrapes away plaque that can cause cavities. It’s also rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin A is essential for maintaining healthy gums and saliva flow. Vitamin C prevents gum inflammation by repairing and building connective tissues.
Yogurt Parfait
Yogurt is another food that benefits your dental health, as long as it doesn’t contain sugar. Like cheese, yogurt contains calcium and proteins that strengthen your teeth’s enamel. It also has good bacteria that help keep the harmful bacteria from causing tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Make yogurt more festive by making a yogurt parfait. Add blueberries, strawberries, and almonds to add color and flavors. You can also add almonds and other nuts for better texture. They also contain calcium and proteins that help keep your jaws and teeth strong.
Happy 4th of July from Sunrise Dentistry!
Keep your teeth healthy all year, not just on the 4th of July. Our dentists at Pagosa Springs are experts at keeping their patient’s smiles healthy and bright using a holistic approach. They also practice mercury-free and cosmetic dentistry to help their patients achieve their oral health goals. Call us today for more information on our services.
