Finally summertime in the UK has arrived, which usually means three things, school holidays, blockbuster movies at the cinema and rain!
Well two out of three ain’t bad as this year it seems to be wall to wall sunshine and we’re set to have one of the driest summers on record, plus un-seasonally high temperatures well into the mid 30’s!
A hot summer can mean a number of things when it comes to dental health. We’re more likely to reach for the cold drinks or an ice cream to cool us down and because we’re sweating more which in turn makes us thirsty we may be reaching for a cold drink a lot more often.
Escaping the heat to sit in an air conditioned cinema can be a good idea. There are some great releases this Summer for the kids (and adults too!) I’m sure many of us will be off to the cinema at some point over the next 6 weeks.
The cinema may get out us out of the heat for a couple of hours but it doesn’t keep us out of temptation. Once the movie’s decided, you’re faced with the decision of what confectionary to buy and everything seems to come in one size, LARGE!
Here’s few tips to minimise any problems with your dental health over the holidays and enjoy the hot weather.
- Carry some tepe / floss in your pocket or handbag. Now this is a good one no matter whatever the time of year. It’s always a good idea to floss after eating but we know flossing can be a little fiddly, so why not get some dental sticks (tepes) similar to toothpicks but better at getting in between the teeth. Tepes are available at most major supermarkets and can be found with the toothpastes and floss.
- Drink plenty of water, carry a water bottle. Yes we know water is boring but it is healthy! Try to cut down on sugary fizzy drinks, if you find yourself reaching for your favourite drink a little more often, try a glass of water instead. Try to keep your fizzy drinks to a minimum and if you have kids get them used to water. Juice also has a lot of sugar too.
- Go large and share. If you do go large at the cinema with your chocolate or popcorn then it’s a good idea to share!
- Choose Salty not sweet. Who doesn’t love popcorn? but why not get some salty popcorn instead of sweet and if you get some water to drink with it, it’s a lot healthier treat! (Using a dental stick after finishing your popcorn is a great idea to get rid of any popcorn trapped in-between your teeth.)
- Fresh fruit. Try reaching for some fresh fruit as a snack, there’s some great fruit in season at the moment, watermelon and strawberries to name a few. And as fruit is made up of a high percentage of water, you’ll be hydrating yourself as well. Apples also contain fibre to keep you feeling fuller for longer, making you less likely to reach for a sugary snack!
And Finally
Keep up with brushing twice a day and flossing. Enjoy the warm weather and make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids.
If you’re worried about your dental health then why not book an appointment to see us.
Mama Mia, Here We Go Again! Is showing nation-wide, we’ve seen it, it’s great and yes we had some popcorn! And yes other movies are available to see!