Summer’s officially here and the kids are on holiday. This means 12 weeks of no school, late nights, ice creams and lots of treats, which can play havoc with your kids’ teeth and overall health.
Of course we know that ice creams are a big part of summer here in Marbella, but it is packed with sugar which is one of the leading causes of tooth decay. We recommend looking out for sugar-free or low-sugar varieties of ice cream, so that even if they are eating a lot of it, at least the damage is minimised. Another great idea is to create banana “ice cream” by chopping up banana, freezing them for a few hours and then blending until they are creamy. It’s totally natural, healthy and delicious!
Another thing to watch and limit over the summer holidays are juice and fizzy drinks, which are a major cause of acid erosion. As temperatures rise, you need to increase your fluid intake, but make sure that your children are having no more than two fruit juices per day and limit fizzy drinks as much as possible. Water is the best option of course and you can flavour it slightly by putting in frozen strawberries for example, it’s tasty, hydrating and very tooth friendly!
Sweets are unavoidable when everyone is in party mood, but they are one of the worse things we can have. Especially bad are the chewy sweets which stick to your teeth and can be very difficult to remove. This attracts bacteria, which causes tooth decay if not handled properly. Try sugar free sweets and brush teeth straight after eating sweets if possible. If you can’t brush their teeth, give them a drink of water to clean their mouth and offer some sugar free gum, as a tooth friendly treat.
The key to surviving the summer holiday sugar fest is to try to choose wisely, limit the intake of naughty foods and be vigilant about your dental care. Take advantage of the summer holidays to visit the dentist, have a proper clean and make sure that everything is OK. Your dentist will advise you if anything is wrong, or if there are areas which aren’t being cleaned properly.
Also talk to your dentist about preventative dentistry – treatments you can have to strengthen your kids’ teeth and minimise future problems. Summer holidays offer a great opportunity for fluoride treatments or sealing the biting surfaces of the teeth to prevent decay.
Have a great summer!
