Dental Care Tips for Camping Trips

The sweltering summer season has arrived. You’ve been busy with parties, barbeques, and beach visits, and the good times are just getting started.

Summer activities, like camping trips, are both relaxing and enjoyable (and frequently incorporate delicious snacks and treats)! However, some of your favorite summer foods may leave you with new cavities, not to mention a few extra pounds.

Here’s how to safeguard your teeth while still enjoying any camping trip in style.

Watch Your Food Intake

Bacteria that cause cavities thrive on foods like sugar and processed carbs. Foods like these find their way to every camping trip. Oral hygiene may also be less than idea while camping so food particles may linger in your mouth for a long time after you eat them. On top of that, these types of foods get broken down into acids that cause enamel deterioration by the bacteria that are in our mouths.

While outside all day, it is important to maintain your energy levels throughout but it is a good idea to avoid constant snacking. After one main snack time, rinse your mouth with water. Snack on healthy foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables when you can. These contain water and fiber, which aid in a making a cleaner mouth which helps in the prevention of bacterial overgrowth that can cause cavities.

Be Careful With Sugary Drinks

Soaking your teeth in liquid sugar and acids from cold drinks can gradually damage the structure of your tooth enamel. Initially, acidic drinks will soften the enamel. Then, the sugar content in these drinks will be consumed by the bacteria in our mouths. The byproduct of their sugar feast is an acidic byproduct. This further weakens enamel and can make teeth prone to sensitivity and new cavities.

Instead of soda, sports drinks, chocolate milk, or juice, drink water between meals. On occasion, you can still cool down and enjoy sugary drinks. We recommend that sugary drinks are consumed within 30 minutes or so, so the exposure to acid and sugar is limited to a shorter moment in time. Then, the protective qualities of saliva will neutralize the acid and return the mouth to a more normal pH. Rinsing with water helps accelerate this process of returning the mouth to a neutral pH.

Schedule A Checkup Before You Go

Make an appointment for a dental checkup before sending the kids to that two-week summer camp. Before venturing into the great outdoors, make sure their teeth and dental work are in good shape. That way you can avoid any sudden or unexpected dental issues when they’re away from home.